Pinot Noir North Slope
2013
At Walter Hansel Winery, the emphasis is on low yields (which range from 1.5 to 2.7 tons/acre), precise viticulture and non-interventionist winemaking. Stephen Hansel (Walter's son) exercises strict control in the vineyards, producing beautiful - vineyard designated Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. All of Hansel's fruit is hand-harvested. Stephen makes an average of 9 passes through each vineyard including one pass just to pull the second crop. Each pass is time consuming and expensive but Stephen...
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The 2013 Pinot Noir North Slope is a bit more lifted and aromatic than the South Slope. Today, the flavors are bright and precise, but there is little in the way of flavor complexity. That will come with time. Instead, it is the wine's nuance and textural finesse that are showing at this stage. Crushed flowers, mint and sweet red berries are laced into the super-expressive finish. There is a lot to like.
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In this range, the 2014 Pinot Noir The North Slope Vineyard comes across as quite reticent and tightly wound. The dark, intense flavor profile of the vintage is very much in evidence, but the 2014 needs time to come together. That should not be much of an issue, as the North Slope probably won't be released before 2017.
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