June 20, 2023 - evolved over several days; a bit more ripe and savory than i recall
February 5, 2023 - PnP. Medium dark red. Ripe nose of dark cherry and plum with a hint of mineral/iron. Medium weight on the palate with good fruit/acid balance and resolved tannins. Smooth finish. This is quite good at age 13 and the W-S winemaker signature has faded allowing the vineyard character of minerality to come through. Good but the Littorai version is more transparent to site.
December 26, 2020 - Outstanding Pinot. Wow. Wish I had another.
December 23, 2020 - What a fabulous wine. It is showing remarkably young, with brilliant red and dark cherries, cranberry, damp earth, pine needles, and a character that conjures up the misty redwoods surrounding the vineyard. In addition, there are some lovely subtle secondary notes creeping in of toast, baked clay, and dried herbs. What a great balance and this wine is at the perfect spot! I have had three expressions of this vineyard and would rank them as such- #1 Williams Selyem, #2 (very close second) Littorai, #3 Hirsch Vineyards. I've heard great things about David Hirsch's higher end bottlings, but I've only had the San Andreas Fault; it's a nice wine, but doesn't hold a candle to Williams Selyem or Littorai.
November 7, 2020 - Absolutely in a great spot right now. Only regret is that I didnt have the patience to let it open up more!
July 4, 2020 - Dark cherry, nutmeg, and baking spice on the nose, with a subtle floral note. Cherries dominate the palate, with some rich cola notes. This likely has another 5+ years ahead of it.
July 17, 2019 - Summertime 2019 - Lake House and Arlington: Tight black cherry and blueberry flavors prevail with complementary notes of tea and forest floor. Floral, evolving nose, smooth mouthfeel, good concentration. This was quite good, but given its price point, not sure if I’m a buyer in the future. Maybe needs more time.
October 14, 2018 - 2h slo-ox. Developing nose and palate with cherrry preserve, aging spring flower bouquet. Well balanced and integrated, medium finish. Early mid drinking window. Great now and good for 3 or, likely, much longer.
August 19, 2018 - Dark crimson in the glass, with lively aromas of fresh fruit, spice box and forest floor. The vibrant acidity is the first thing registering on the palate, followed by flavors of black cherry, red raspberry and blueberry.
This wine is so well integrated and shows/drinks incredibly well right out of the bottle. I have to assume this is the peak for Hirsch as it's hard to imagine the wine getting any better. That said, I also expect it will continue to cellar well, with all the acidity and structure to preserve another 4-5 years.
July 28, 2018 - From coravin. Nose gives off nice rich fruit. Vanilla bean. Pleasingly expressive. No hint of the 14.3%. Medium to full bodied. Fruit profile leans toward dark cherry. More of that vanilla. Texture is supple. Lip-smacking finish.