v.2012 REFLEKTOR
PINOT NOIR, Machado Vineyard
$95 – 750ml
Partial whole cluster
18 months in barrel
Mostly neutral oak/native yeast
The Performance
An exotic and expressive Pinot Noir, It has a nose of carob, purple flowers and currant. It’s characteristics are gamey, of pencil lead and deep berry. Overall exceptional balance, with hints of an earthy aroma.
Winemakers Track
Grapes were harvested and brought to the winery during the cool early morning hours. The grapes were de-stemmed and meticulously sorted before undergoing fermentation in open-top fermenters and held for 30 days including extended maceration. Gently pressed directly to barrel, and aged in French oak for 12 months. 20% new oak was used.
This wine is a different beast. This wine makes you think …
Reflektor is made from 100% Mount Eden clone Pinot Noir, one of several “heritage clones” that are seeing a resurgence in popularity. The wine offers impressive color and body, while maintaining a forward, brambly herb component. The dark, brooding fruit and boldness of the wine inspires a reflective emotional state that the Arcade Fire song Reflektor very much evokes.
Vintage Voice
100% Pinot Noir from the Machado Vineyard, an original Brewer-Clifton planting, located on the western side of the Sta. Rita Hills and immediately adjacent to the Kessler-Haak vineyard.
Clone
100% Mount Eden clone Pinot Noir
Winemaker Quote
“Things can always go in a deeper direction. The idea here—with this wine having additional time in barrel and being a very unique clone (the Mount Eden clone)—is to make a wine that is much darker and has much more depth to it. When we tasted this wine we just went, ‘Whoa! This wine is a different beast. This wine makes you think, this wine makes you really engage on a different level and it’s more pensive—it begs reflection.'” — Chrystal Clifton
95 Points
Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2015
93 Points
Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate, August 2016
“A big, rich, pedal to the metal effort is the 2012 Pinot Noir Reflecktor, which comes all from the Machado Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills and spent 18 months in 20% new French oak. Deeply colored and almost opaque, it offers rich, full-bodied notes of blackberries, plums, spice and wild herbs in a textured, concentrated, lengthy style. It won’t appeal to those looking for lightweight aromas and flavors, but I love it.”
95 Points
Editors’ Choice, Wine Enthusiast June 2016
“It’s hard to pick a favorite from this new music-inspired lineup by Steve and Chrystal Clifton, but this slightly older vintage wins, thanks to its dense color, depth of mouthfeel and layers of aroma and flavor. The nose offers turned earth, raw beef, incense and iron elements, while the palate delivers black loam, juniper-berry spice and chaparral scrub laid across tart raspberry fruit.”
| Winemaker: | Steve Clifton |
| Pruning: | Cane Pruned |
| Bottled: | April 3,2014 |
| Release: | Fall 2015 |
| Alcohol: | 14% |
| Cases Produced: | 200 Cases |
