# The Pinot Project Pinot Noir (2022)

- **Producer:** The Pinot Project
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Pinot Noir
- **Region:** California, United States
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €14
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now
- **Serving temperature:** 13–16 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, strawberry, raspberry, grapefruit, herbaceous, vanilla, cloves, dried cranberry, cinnamon

## About this wine

The Pinot Project was established in 2009 by renowned wine importer Michael Skurnik with a clear, populist vision: to craft a high-quality, accessible Pinot Noir "for the palate, the pocket, and the people." By leveraging deep-rooted relationships with growers across California's premier coastal regions, the project sources exceptional fruit from AVA regions including Monterey, San Benito, Suisun Valley, and Mendocino. This approach democratizes a notoriously finicky and expensive grape variety, delivering an authentic, varietally accurate Pinot Noir without the high-price barrier.

## Interesting facts

- Founded in 2009 by renowned importer Michael Skurnik to make high-quality Pinot Noir highly accessible.
- Crafted from 100% Pinot Noir, avoiding the common budget practice of blending in heavier grapes like Syrah.
- Sourced from diverse coastal AVAs including Monterey, San Benito, Suisun Valley, and Mendocino.

## Food pairing

This versatile, medium-bodied Pinot Noir pairs exceptionally well with a wide range of dishes due to its bright acidity and low-to-medium tannins. It has enough structure to complement rich fish like salmon or tuna, while its vibrant red fruit and earthy undertones make it a classic match for poultry, pork, and mushroom-based vegetarian dishes.

## Wine making process

The grapes for the 2022 vintage were harvested at optimal ripeness from select coastal vineyards and 100% destemmed to avoid rustic stem tannins, emphasizing pure fruit expression. Each vineyard block was vinified separately using gentle extraction techniques to preserve the delicate characteristics of the Pinot Noir grape. The aging program features a balanced approach: 20% of the final blend was aged in French and American oak barrels to introduce subtle structure and sweet spice, while the remaining 80% was kept un-oaked in stainless steel tanks to maintain freshness and vibrant fruit flavors.