The Old Vine always has a distinct mineral note to the whole thing so it always seems a lot less primary than other bottlings of ours. The Estate Vineyard, Bonshaw Block is a southwest facing block that, at its height, has taken the dense fruit profile of the younger vines and combined it with the length of nuance of the Old Vine bottling. It is a very different bottling than anything else that comes off of the Estate. Glad it was still kicking.
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I was thinking that someone posted about/asked me about the 2013 Freedom HIll Vineyard, Dijon 115 bottling recently. Seems like I should have known it was Terry! I would think that the wine is in more than fine shape. In magnum it is likely still quite primary if showing the bloody fruit character of the 2013 vintage. This was some of the best fruit that came in the door in 2013.
The Mysterious bottling has ALWAYS been Arcus Vineyard. We had to sign a “brand protection clause” with the fruit purchase agreement from 2009-2019. At the point where we were not prevented from using the site name we had already bottled 6 vintages as Mysterious so in 2021 and 2022 (the last 2 vintages we will apparently have) we simply added Arcus Vineyard to the already existing label.
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In 2018, Evesham Wood bottled a one-off Dundee Hills Pinot. They said that is was a special opportunity from a great vineyard but couldn’t reveal the name. I’ve always assumed that was also from Arcus.
How was it?
I’m curious about the 2003 PGC Etzel, too. Looks nicely aged, perhaps some sediment as the glass comes from low in the bottle?
I’ve mentioned this here many times for folks that either have or are buying basically anything pre-2012 vintage that those wines are likely to have some noticeable level of sediment in them and that they are best treated the way one would handle aged Piedmont wines. Not that same level of sediment but possibly a very fine type but in enough quantity that standing them up and decanting is advised.
The 2093 vintage was hot by the standards of the time. Lots of wines haven’t done great. While ours are certainly tinged by the vintage I’ve found everything to still be in decent shape. This was the first bottling of the Etzel Block which faces north/northwest. We only made 4 barrels and I don’t remember having this in quite some time so I can’t speak to what my perceptions of it are/were.
Hope it did well!
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Those tannins are super fine. I’ve been standing up these library bottles for a minimum 30 days.
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That is what I’ve encountered on each of the half a dozen or so older bottles I’ve enjoyed. And, following your suggestion and a similar suggestion of others with experience with older PGC wines, all of my bottles were stood up for two or more weeks. It worked well, when it came to decanting them.
On the other hand, I think most (if not all) of your vintage 2013 and later wines I’ve enjoyed have had more of a pasty sediment that adheres more to the bottle during the decant. 
Agreed. It also sticks to the bottom of the cork.
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I’m genuinely curious about how this bottle’s aged. Your (PGC) oldest wines are at 25 years. Congrats! This one’s close to it. We’re lucky to be at a time now to test their longevity, how they drink at a mature age for any PN. Hence my question.
You have mentioned sediment before. Not concerned about it.
Quite the collection. Looks like a 1997 or 1998 Balcombe Vineyard (Block 1B) lurking off camera.
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For any interested, GrandVin now has the PGC Estate 2019 Pinot Noir available for just $24. I picked up six of them some time back, at $25 (which was a steal) and opened one a month or so ago. It was really nice, and plenty open for business.
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Sneaky and cheeky! The 1999 Balcombe Vineyard! Patty and I vinified that but left in February of 2000. That wine was finished and bottled, in part, by Kelley Fox. Universe works in mysterious ways.
The 1999 vs. the 2000. Interesting match up.
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2019 Durant Madrone Block Pinot Noir. Pnp. Red fruit, raspberry, strawberry, some sap. Hints of baking spice and black tea. Medium body, nice acidity. Young, but no crime to drink now. I’ll try my other bottles in five and ten years.
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Classy.