By Gali Vineyards
2023 Pinot Noir

Vintage
2023 brought above-average winter rainfall, helping replenish soil moisture for the vines. Cooler spring temperatures and a mild summer - without great heat spikes - extended the ripening phase. Grapes matured more slowly and evenly, creating a luxurious cool climate vintage. Harvest began about two weeks later than usual and stretched from October into early November.

Production
Harvested at 25.4 degrees Brix on October 10, 2023, the grapes were destemmed as whole berries and fermented in stainless steel tanks for 10-12 days. After drawing color, tannin, and flavors from the skins, each lot was pressed and put into separate barrels to undergo natural malolactic fermentation and sur lie aging. Final lots were blended to produce the 2023 Pinot Noir, and the wine returned to barrel for additional maturation.

Production Details
Source: Estate-grown grapes from the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA
Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Clones: 62% 115 and Swan, 38% 667
Winemaker: Eric Baugher
Vinification: Natural malolactic fermentation in barrel (per lot) and aging on the lees
Aging: 18 months in 18% new French oak
Alcohol: 14.10%
pH: 3.83
TA: 6.38g/L

Tasting Notes
Medium-bodied and richly garnet in color, a cascade of raspberry, cherry, and vanilla aromas is revealed like a rising theater curtain. Center stage, the wine's lively acidity keeps you focused on the juicy briar fruit, with only hints of more exotic wood spice in the dialogue. Yet, there's a sleight-of-hand as fruit switches to dried herbs and forest floor. Tannins and a sweet oak character persist into the finish.
[Information provided by Matador Vino]

Wine: 2023 Gali Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir
Score/Rating: 92
Suggested Drinking Window: 2025 - 2030
Review Date: 08/21/2025
Reviewed By: Matthew Luczy
Tasting Notes: The 2023 Estate Pinot Noir underwent a slightly longer elevage [...] compared to its 2022 counterpart, due to the extended growing season. It strikes a lovely balance between richness and elegance, opening with a red-fruited bouquet accented by dried spice and savory notes. This is followed by a rich, svelte and elegantly concentrated palate, concluding with a lush, vanilla-tinged finish and a sweet core of succulent fruits.