2015 Dos Rubios Vineyard Pinot Noir
Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
Last Vintage: 2015
Tasting Notes
“Deep red hue. At first the aroma profile is a bit shy but after some air, there is a complex array of red and dark fruits with a subtle infusion of spice. Cranberry, pomegranate, red cherry, and raspberry lead the nose while anise, sage, marmalade jam, and boysenberry rest in the background. Flavors stay true to the aroma profile with a hint of French oak uniting them seamlessly. Vibrant, fresh, and youthful on the palate while exhibiting great purity. The finish is lively and fresh, then smooths out with another wave of French oak nuances. Enjoy now through 2025.”
~Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking
October 2016
“The 2015 Pinot Noir Dos Rubios Vineyard is a downright charming effort that saw 12 months in 52% new French oak. Baking spices, sweet red fruits and hints of dried underbrush all emerge from this pleasure bent, supple, polished red that has no hard edges and it is ready to go.”
Jeb Dunnuck
August 2017
Production Data
Growers: Kirk Williams
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation: Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
Barrel Ageing: 12 months
Cooperage: 100% French Oak, 52 % new
Production: 51 barrels
Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Acidity: 5.93 g/L – 3.6 pH
Alcohol: 14.1%
Harvest: August 22, 2015
Drink Now through 2025
Past Vintage Wine Scores
“Over the past couple of vintages we have been impressed with Testarossa’s Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs sourced from the Dos Rubios Vineyard, and our opinions have not changed in the least. This latest Pinot hits all of the right marks from its fine silky feel to its fruity depth and its involving, layered complexity, and its showier side does not come at the expense of excellent balance and structure. It is delicious right now, but make no mistake, it is a prime candidate for aging and will do nothing but get better and better over the course of the next four or five years.”
Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wine
June 2016
“From a site where they get all of the fruit (it’s the closest thing to an estate vineyard for this team), the 2013 Pinot Noir Dos Rubios Vineyard offers up more red fruits than black, with plenty of cherry and raspberry notes giving way to pretty spice-box, dried flowers and ample minerality. Vibrant and lively on the palate, with fine tannin and good acidity giving plenty of cut and focus, it’s approachable now but will evolve nicely through 2023.”
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
“One of the more structured 2012s, the 2012 Pinot Noir Dos Rubios Vineyard comes from a high-density vineyard, was completely destemmed, and spent 10.5 months in 52% new French oak. Black cherry, black raspberry, licorice, hints of leather and some crushed flowers all emerge here, and it has a medium-bodied, tight, structured feel on the palate. It should be at its best from 2015-2022.”
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
“This is certainly one of Testarossa’s best 2011 Pinot Noirs. The winery purchases most of its fruit, but in this case, the vineyard is co-owned by Testarossa, and winemaker Bill Brosseau had complete control in the vineyard. The wine is gorgeous, complex and ageable. Beyond the exquisite raspberry and blueberry fruit is a mineral-derived savoriness that makes it firm in the mouth. Gorgeous now, this single-vineyard wine should age well for at least 12 years.”
Wine Enthusiast
Dos Rubios Vineyard
Dos Rubios represents a partnership between two red heads: Testarossa Founder, Rob Jensen and Vineyard Grower, Kirk Williams. Director of Winemaking, Bill Brosseau has worked with Williams to design the vineyard from the ground-up having planted it in 2008. Wine from Dos Rubios Vineyard carries a unique character like many of our other single vineyards from the Santa Lucia Highlands. Dos Rubios Vineyard is located on the southern end of the appellation.