Reviews & Ratings

2012 Claiborne Churchill Pinot Noir "Runestone Barrel Select"

Winery: Claiborne Churchill

Vintage: 2012

Wine Name/Vineyard: "Runestone Barrel Select"

Wine Category: Pinot Noir

Grape blend: 100% Pinot Noir

Bottle size: 750 ml

Region: Edna Valley

State or country: CA

Price: $48

Cases produced: 173

KWG Score: 89 (based on 1 review)

Ken's Wine Rating: Very Good (89)

Review date: April 24, 2015

Wine Review: This bright red colored Pinot Noir from the Edna Valley is very good and food friendly. It opens with a fragrant red plum and red cherry bouquet with a hint of pomegranate. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, slightly acidic, juicy and fruity. The flavor profile is a ripe strawberry and red plum blend with hints of faint oak and a touch of clove. The finish is dry and its flavors and acidity linger for a little while. I would pair this tasty Pinot with North Carolina pulled pork with creamy cole slaw and moist corn bread. Enjoy

Winemaker Notes: After its 8 month absence, our limited production, barrel-selected Runestone Pinot Noir is back! Winemaker Coby Parker-Garcia selected 8 standout barrels from the 2012 vintage, which he blended together to create a remarkably elegant, yet complex wine. You will find that this wine balances its soft tannin and velvety mouth feel with ample fruit notes. It offers up vivid aromas of cherry, dried strawberries, and hints of oak. The palate is complex, layered with bright cherry, sweet raspberry, dark fruit and baking spice, with a finish that is ethereal and long lasting. We recommend pairing it with rack of lamb, sage-brushed turkey, or wild Alaskan salmon. Though it's already demonstrating remarkable finesse, the Runestone will continue to develop and improve over the next 8-10 years.

Buy it: Use 1000 Corks to find stores that sell Claiborne Churchill 2012 Runestone Barrel Select Pinot Noir.