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After the incredible response to the Riverbench Pinot Noir, I reached out to the winery to see if we could get more. I wasn't optimistic considering the 2018 vintage hasn't even been released on the website yet. Gotta figure they don't want to sell out before they can offer it to their own customers, right?
Well, not only did they give us more 2018 Estate Pinot, they gave us exclusive dibs on their 2012 Pommard PInot. That's right... 2012! With an extra six years of age, this beauty is drinking like a dream...
We're looking to get an order in tomorrow, with arrival in roughly 2 weeks. Just in time to give as presents!
NOTE: THERE ARE TWO WINES BEING OFFERED.
 Riverbench Estate Pinot Noir 2018
Pre-Sale Restock Special Sale $27.99
92 pts Vinous
Located in Santa Maria Valley, Riverbench has been growing grapes for over 40 years, but it was only in the last decade that they began producing wines. Of very small production, the wines were, and still largely are, only available in their tasting rooms in Santa Maria and Santa Barbara California. Yeah, you know that song, don’t you? A vineyard starts producing their own wines… guess who gets the best grapes? Hmm…
“The 2018 Pinot Noir Estate Grown is redolent of cedar, crushed autumn leaves, dried rose petals and star anise, all of which give it striking aromatic nuance. There is a feeling of ethereal weightlessness to the 2018 that is quite appealing. Lively acids bring out the brighter side of the sweet red cherry fruit. Beautifully lifted and perfumed in the glass, the 2018 is a winner.” Vinous
 “This Pinot Noir is our flagship; a way to really showcase Riverbench Vineyard. Each year, we carefully select the clones and barrel lots that will make up this bottling so that it combines the best qualities of all different parts of the property. After nine months in barrel to develop amazing complexity and deliciousness, the wine is fresh and bright, and very typical for the Santa Maria Valley. The palate boasts juicy red fruit flavors that meld nicely with a hint of our signature Riverbench smoke and clove. Try it with duck breast with pear relish or anything that involves mushrooms.” winery note
Sure, let’s try it! Duck breasts are ridiculously easy to cook, so click on the pic for a recipe for Seared Duck Breasts with Wild Mushrooms.
 Riverbench Pommard Pinot Noir 2012
Sale $44.99
92 pts Vinous
"He's smooth. Confident. Just a little domineering. Wins every game of poker, spies on warlords and smugglers, and remains cool and calm with the ubiquitous drink in hand. Fast cars and sophisticated gadgets may make him irresistible, but he stays polite yet aloof. The name's Pommard, Pommard Pinot Noir, and this new addition to our lineup is dense, velvety and mysterious. The nose holds the fragrance of currants and bruléed red fruits with just a tiny hint of rose petal, violet, and custom made cigarettes. These follow through on a dark and brooding palate which exhibits flavors of blueberry pie and cherry. Strong tannins give this wine its Double 0 status, so make it your mission to enjoy it as often as possible." winery note
"Sexy, oak-spiced aromas of dark berries, cherry-cola and vanilla, with a suave floral accent. Supple and expansive on the palate, offering intense dark berry flavors that become spicier and deeper with air. Deep and rich but surprisingly lithe, finishing with excellent energy and length and youthfully firm tannins." Vinous
At nine years of age, this is a rare chance to drink Pinot Noir that has entered the second phase of its life.
“Um… Todd… what the heck does that mean?”
Ah… ok. So, when a wine is young, pretty much all you get are flavors of fruit, fruit and a bit more fruit. The hints of earth and spice are in the background, playing a supporting role. With age, those background notes come forward, and the fruit takes on a more subtle role. Age too long and the fruit disappears…
This is in the perfect wheelhouse… the fruit is still vibrant and pure: cherries, strawberries and raspberries among them. But, as famed writer Oz Clarke explains, “Labelling a mature Pinot with a particular type of fruit is usually quite impossible; every time you think you’ve caught the precise flavour, it’s moved onto something else.”
And that is exactly how this gem behaves. Along with the fruit, there are equally hard to pin down flavors of “earth” – mushrooms, smoke, some say leather… I really don’t try and nail it down. It is just an unusually attractive scent and flavor that you only get from aged Pinot Noir. Not Cabernet, not Merlot, not anything else I have ever tasted. And I, along with many others, feel this is why we spend innumerable hours tracking down great Pinot. It’s unique… and irreplaceable… and indescribable! Reply to order. The wines will arrive in approximately 2 weeks. | 
