2021 Brosseau Vineyard Pinot Noir
Chalone AVA
Tasting Notes
“Deep red hue. Aromas of sage, anise, jasmine, and black truffle initially leap out of the glass. Upon aeration, notes of pomegranate, cherry cola, roasted strawberry, crushed rock, and caramel unite for a unique collaboration of pleasure. These qualities sail seamlessly through the palate and are met by plush, savory tannins in a dense mouthfeel of concentration. This Pinot Noir finishes with intricacies and persistence. Decant for immediate enjoyment or enjoy through 2036.”
~Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking
November 2023
“Medium ruby red. The Brosseau Vineyard Pinot Noir shows plenty of red and black fruit, but it’s the savoriness that sets it apart with earthy spices and underbrush dried fruit notes. The mouthfeel is also different, straighter and laser-focused. Although this wine is from the 2021 vintage, it would still benefit from additional cellaring. Sourced from 42-year-old vines grown at 1700′ elevation on the limestone soils of the Chalone AVA and matured 20 months in 64% new French oak. pH 3.4, 14.1% alc.” Don Winkler, International Wine Review, June 2024
“A complex nose of ripe and fresh black and red berries, plum and spice displays a violet top note. There is both good verve and volume to the delicious and beautifully textured medium weight flavors that conclude in a dusty, moderately austere and decidedly compact finale that displays fine length. This is very good with excellent development potential. At least some patience is advised.” Allen Meadows, Burghound, April 2024
Production Data
Growers: Brosseau Family
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation: Chalone AVA
Elevation/Exposure: 1,660 – 1,700 ft./South, West, and East
Soil: Heavy limestone soils with lesser influence of decomposed granite
Vineyard Age: 41 years
Viticulture Practice: Certified Organic
Vinification: Destemmed, fermented in stainless steel
Cooperage & Barrel Ageing: 20 months in French oak, 64% new
Production: 18 barrels
Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Acidity: 3.4 pH, 6.99 TA (g/L)
Alcohol: 14.1%
Harvest: September 24, 2021, hand harvested
Club Release: December 2023
Release Price: $76
Drink Now through 2036
Past Vintage Wine Scores
“Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. The heady aromas are what draw me to Pinot Noir and are rarely captured in such an alluring fashion. Scents of dark cherry, pomegranate, spice and antique furniture never lose their intoxicating purpose over time in the glass. Mid-weight black cherry and black raspberry flavors have appealing spice and earth tones, Highly unique, with supportive tannins, a shadow of oak, impeccable harmony and a crazy long finish. When tasting this wine I wanted to swallow instead of spit. Even better when sampled the following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle.”
Rusty Gaffney
PinotFile
October 2021
“The Brosseau Vineyard Pinot Noir from the Chalone AVA is youthful and still tight but reveals its terroir with its structure and complex savoriness. Herbs, spice and underlying fruit are revealed in the bouquet, leading to a complex, layered, savory and refined palate. There’s also a subtle expression of lush fruit. A complete Pinot Noir that in time will show still more complexity and nuance.”
Don Winkler
International Wine Review
December 2021
“Christmas mulling spices meet with plum pudding and wet slate on the nose of this bottling from the winemaker’s family vineyard. Clove, mace and nutmeg arise strongly on the sip, where rich black cherry is the core fruit flavor.”
Matt Kettmann
Wine Enthusiast
December 2021
“Darker ruby color, smooth and meaty with minerals and dried cherries; dense, long and balanced.”
Anthony Dias Blue
September 2020
“Brilliant red. Highly perfumed, mineral- and spice accented raspberry and cherry scents pick up a suggestion of exotic spices with air. Sweet, focused and penetrating on the palate, offering juicy red fruit, floral pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen and spread out slowly on the back half. Shows outstanding clarity and spicy thrust on the long, smooth finish, which features sneaky tannins and subtle vanilla and cola flourishes.”
Josh Raynolds
Antonio Galloni’s Vinous
November 2019
“Deep, brilliant red. An exotically perfumed bouquet evokes red and dark berry preserves, Asian spices, rose and cola, with a smoky mineral accent adding vivacity. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering juicy black raspberry, cherry-vanilla and spicecake flavors along with suggestions of mocha and floral pastilles. Lush yet vibrant and focused as well, with velvety tannins building slowly and adding subtle grip to a strikingly long, penetrating finish.”
Josh Raynolds
Antonio Galloni Vinous
“From the Chalone AVA, the 2015 Pinot Noir Brosseau Vineyard was destemmed and spent 12 months in 60% New French oak. It offers a gorgeous texture as well as medium-bodied richness, sweet tannin and classic notes of black raspberries, toasted spice and white flowers. It’s a beautiful Pinot Noir that excels in the vintage.”
Jeb Dunnuck
August 2017
“Dense in its core with aromas of black fruit, rose buds, chipped slate and a touch of anise, this also has a cran-raspberry freshness that emerges on the nose with time. The palate is redolent with dried thyme, oregano, marjoram and fennel that meet with cooked cranberry fruit and turned-earth flavors.”
Wine Enthusiast
“Medium ruby color; earthy black cherry and raspberry aromas with notes of forest floor and mint; firm black cherry, dark plum and raspberry flavors with notes of earth and cedar; good structure and balance; long finish. Big, tannic Pinot that needs time to develop.”
Pinot Report
“Deep ruby color; deep, complex cherry aromas with earthy, savory spice notes; dense, full dark cherry flavors with earthy, oak notes; good structure and balance; long finish. Earthy, dense Pinot that’s more elegant than you might expect.”
Pinot Report
“Bring on the steak! The acidity on this Pinot yearns for animal fat to cut through, while the toasty oak longs for the smokiness of charred protein for the perfect marriage. With a delicate texture, the raspberry fruit and cola flavors make the wine delicious, but it’s also an ager. Drink now–2023.”
Wine Enthusiast
The Brosseau Vineyard
The Brosseau estate in the Chalone appellation is arguably the most unique vineyard source in the Testarossa line-up. Standing 1,600 feet above sea level in Monterey County’s Gabilan Mountains, you can actually see the Brosseau Vineyard’s terroir. The rocky crags and peaks of nearby Pinnacles National Monument loom over the almost moonscape-like panorama. This is the heart of the historic Chalone appellation, where you can literally taste the district’s ancient decomposed granite and limestone soils in every drop of wine. Owned by Testarossa Director of Winemaking, Bill Brosseau’s family, the property was originally planted in 1980. Brosseau manages the entire process from the dirt to the bottle and the results are stunning.