Popelouchum 2023 Pinot Noir, San Benito County

Popelouchum 2023 Pinot Noir, San Benito County

Item Number: 21405

UPC: None

Country: USA
Region: California
Sub Region: Central Coast
Appellation/AVA: San Benito
Estate Grown Wine: Yes
Vintage: 2023
Grape(s): Pinot Noir
Type: Wine - Red
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Pack: 12
Closure: Screw Cap
Alc by Vol(%): 12
Viticulture: Practicing Organic

Winemaker Notes: "The vintage was a nail-biter, to be sure, a throw-back, weather wise to the earliest vintages of my experience. Late, late, so late (but ultimately ripening - phew!), which if the basic principles of vine physiology still obtain, yield grapes of enhanced flavor and aromatic complexity.

I have called this vintage “Exuberance” for its sheer aromatic intensity and elegance. Lighter in color than the previous vintage and clocking in at 12% abv., this wine goes in a direction that is diametrically opposite to the prevailing Pinot paradigm.

The retention of a large percentage of whole clusters unlocked the extraordinary aromatic potential of our very special site in this outstanding vintage." - Randall Graham

Terroir Notes: The small Pinot Noir plot consists of hyper-densely planted (20,000 vines/ha.), ungrafted vines. It is a north-facing block that is planted to a diverse variety of Pinot Noir clones. The plot is located at a slightly higher elevation on the estate, well protected from the wind and surrounded by woodland.

Reviews

  • Jeb Dunnuck
    Rating: 96 (4/11/2025)
    Densely planted at 20,000 vines per hectare, with 12 different randomized clones, the 2023 Pinot Noir Exuberant Popelouchum Vineyard Estate is an elegant, delicate, and perfumed wine, slatey in crisp tart red fruit. One hundred percent whole-cluster fermented; the stems were air-dried. The peppery, savory quality of this unfined/unfiltered wine is profound. Drink 2025-2033.