Hillier Rouge Daniel Block 2022

Hillier Rouge Daniel Block

• 100% Estate Grown Pinot Noir, vineyard planted by Richard Karlo in 2009
• Hand-harvested fruit, 15kg totes 
• Crushed & destemmed
• Spontaneous fermentation, alcoholic & malo
• 18 day cuvaison with thrice daily punch down
• Racked & pressed to neutral barrel 
• Unfiltered & unfined
• Lightly sulphured after malo & at bottling
• Bottled in December of 2023

Tasting Notes (credit: Rick VanSickle )

Last House Vineyard Hiller Rouge Daniel Block 2022 ($46, almost gone, 93 points) — Only a tiny amount of the Hillier Rouge was made in 2022 due to a low yielding half crop from a half-acre of vines at the estate. The single barrel of wine was 100% destemmed, hand-picked, wild fermented in totes, no pump overs, aged in neutral oak for 12 months with no fining/filtering and spontaneous malo. This is micro-lot farming on the margins, folks! It’s quite floral and pretty on the nose with sun-ripened cherries, fresh raspberries, rose petals, red currants, subtle wild blueberries, and a measured approach to oak spices. It’s fresh, floral, and penetrating on the palate with a luxurious texture in support of ripe red berries, small dark berries and red currants, subtle earthy notes, and spice with crunchy County acidity driving the finesse on a long, lifted finish. Lovely, pretty, site-specific Pinot here. Can cellar a few years but attractive right now.