Drink This: Macari Vineyards 2022 Pinot Noir
It's rare that I can so strongly recommend a North Fork-grown pinot noir
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The North Fork of Long Island is not generally pinot noir country. Tight clusters and thin skins mean pinot noir is susceptible to rot and mildew in humid conditions — like many North Fork summers. But there are exceptions and the latest one to cross my tasting table is this Macari Vineyards 2022 Pinot Noir ($32).
It’s certainly the best pinot noir I’ve ever tasted from Macari.
The nose starts with fairly typical strawberry, cherry, and red raspberry fruitiness, but there are also layers of dried orange peel, Earl Grey, and brown sugar.
Medium-to-light in body, it has a classic silky feel, with gently grippy tannins at the edges framing more ripe, even lightly jammy red fruits sprinkled with earthy spice, more tea, and more orange peel.
The finish is long, with a distinct hint of vanilla at the very end. Best of all, it evolved and improved over the course of four days open on my counter — hinting at its potential longevity in the bottle.
Macari Vineyards 2022 Pinot Noir
Region: North Fork of Long Island AVA (New York)
Vineyard: Estate (Mattituck, NY)
ABV: 12.2%
Winemaking: Ambient yeasts, 20% whole clusters and aged 14 months in 12% new French oak
Rating: 91 pts
Price: $32 (Available Here)
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