Calera Mt Harlan Selleck Vineyard Pinot Noir 1993
As featured previously in this blog, Josh Jensen and his legendary Calera Vineyards were featured in Marq Devillier's wonderful 1994 book -
"The Heartbreak Grape: A California Winemaker's Search for the Perfect
Pinot Noir". The story tells the tale of Josh's quest to grow the very
finnicky Pinot Noir grape in California in the early days before Pinot
was cultivated here. In pursuit of his dream to create authentic
Burgundian style wines, he sought to find the place in California
suitable to achieve that goal. It tells of his research to find the
right terrior - all the attributes of the right location, soil, climate,
drainage, and other nuances of 'place' that make up the character and
personality of a wine from grapes of a particular site. Josh chose Mt.
Harlan, an area not then know for grapes or winemaking. The rest, as
they say, is history. While it is a human interest tale, it also
provides a rich insight into the challenges and travails of setting up a
winery, and a business, and achieving one's dream to make noteworthy
wines.
Calera’s
Mt. Harlan Vineyards are located in Hollister, California, in the
Gavilan Mountains, 25 miles east of the Monterey Bay. The site was
chosen for its limestone soils and ideal climate. At an average
elevation of 2,200 feet it is among the highest and coolest vineyard
sites in California.
Calera Pinot Noirs are single vineyard designated meaning they are each named for and produced from fruit sourced from one vineyard each. Their five vineyards planted in Pinot Noir are named for Josh's father (Jenson), Mills, a neighbor who mentored Josh in his early years, Reed, for one of Josh's dear friends and early investors, and in this case Selleck, for a family friend whom Josh attributes to introducing him to wine. In 2002, the Ryan label appeared, named for Calera's vineyard manager since 1979. We've had fun with this wine collecting it for our #1 Ryan, serving it in celebration of his wedding a few years ago, and holding it in our cellar for special Ryan oriented occasions! The vineyards are enumerated and featured on the rear bottle label as shown left.
As in the great region of Burgundy which inspired Josh to pursue his
dream of making great wines in the old world authentic style, he planted
the varietals of Burgundy, Pinot Nor and Chardonnay. Calera states that wines produced
from their Mt. Harlan Selleck Vineyard are concentrated and complex with aromatic perfume and minerality in the Burgundian style to meeting Josh's objective of creating wines in the style of
the old world classics.
Found this 1993 Selleck in the back of the wine cooler, where it would have been staged, removed from the cellar for immediate drinking at some point. Thankfully, this is our last bottle of this vintage/label. Our tasting notes for this wine go back every other year to 2003, indicating we started drinking this wine in its tenth year. It is definitely beyond its drinking window, perhaps exacerbated by the fact it's a half (375ml) bottle (which likely aged less gracefully than regular or large format bottles. See my blogs about bottle sizes and aging.)
This '93 was light bodied, opaque slight rust colored, concentrated, slightly harsh, rather hard, raisiny black fruit that overtakes the black pepper, spice, hints of coffee and layer of leather. Still drinkable but not for the feint of heart. Drink it soon. Full size bottles may be less diminished from their aging.
RM 80 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=252733
Enjoy Calera wine, and the book!
As featured previously in this blog, Josh Jensen and his legendary Calera Vineyards were featured in Marq Devillier's wonderful 1994 book -
"The Heartbreak Grape: A California Winemaker's Search for the Perfect
Pinot Noir". The story tells the tale of Josh's quest to grow the very
finnicky Pinot Noir grape in California in the early days before Pinot
was cultivated here. In pursuit of his dream to create authentic
Burgundian style wines, he sought to find the place in California
suitable to achieve that goal. It tells of his research to find the
right terrior - all the attributes of the right location, soil, climate,
drainage, and other nuances of 'place' that make up the character and
personality of a wine from grapes of a particular site. Josh chose Mt.
Harlan, an area not then know for grapes or winemaking. The rest, as
they say, is history. While it is a human interest tale, it also
provides a rich insight into the challenges and travails of setting up a
winery, and a business, and achieving one's dream to make noteworthy
wines. 
Calera Pinot Noirs are single vineyard designated meaning they are each named for and produced from fruit sourced from one vineyard each. Their five vineyards planted in Pinot Noir are named for Josh's father (Jenson), Mills, a neighbor who mentored Josh in his early years, Reed, for one of Josh's dear friends and early investors, and in this case Selleck, for a family friend whom Josh attributes to introducing him to wine. In 2002, the Ryan label appeared, named for Calera's vineyard manager since 1979. We've had fun with this wine collecting it for our #1 Ryan, serving it in celebration of his wedding a few years ago, and holding it in our cellar for special Ryan oriented occasions! The vineyards are enumerated and featured on the rear bottle label as shown left.
Found this 1993 Selleck in the back of the wine cooler, where it would have been staged, removed from the cellar for immediate drinking at some point. Thankfully, this is our last bottle of this vintage/label. Our tasting notes for this wine go back every other year to 2003, indicating we started drinking this wine in its tenth year. It is definitely beyond its drinking window, perhaps exacerbated by the fact it's a half (375ml) bottle (which likely aged less gracefully than regular or large format bottles. See my blogs about bottle sizes and aging.)
This '93 was light bodied, opaque slight rust colored, concentrated, slightly harsh, rather hard, raisiny black fruit that overtakes the black pepper, spice, hints of coffee and layer of leather. Still drinkable but not for the feint of heart. Drink it soon. Full size bottles may be less diminished from their aging.
RM 80 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=252733
Enjoy Calera wine, and the book!
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