🏰 The 2016 Calera Pinot Noir Ryan Vineyard hails from a pioneering California producer, with the Ryan Vineyard being Calera's highest elevation site (2,500 feet) planted in limestone soils, known for yielding complex Pinot Noir. The 2016 vintage was a banner year for Central Coast Pinot Noir, marked by a return of rains after drought, an early bud break, and a mellowed summer that allowed for proper maturation. Wines from this vintage are celebrated for their excellent quality, concentration, bright fruit, layered wild herb tones, fresh acidity, and lithe tannins. This particular bottling, aged 17 months in 30% new French oak, offers aromas of dried cherry, dark-red flower, smoked meat, and black plum pudding, with notes of star anise, gingerbread, cranberry, and vanilla on the palate. Other descriptions include crushed blackberries, black cherries, underbrush, potpourri, red fruit sparks, and a tight, brooding feel with firm tannins, smoke, licorice, leather, tobacco, incense, and earthiness, suggesting it needs time to open. 【High-elevation, limestone-soil Pinot Noir from a pioneering California producer in a banner vintage】. 🍴 This versatile Pinot Noir pairs beautifully with veal, game (deer, venison), and savory lamb kabobs. It's also an excellent companion for a cheese plate with assorted crackers, fresh berries, honey, and chocolate, or an imaginative cheese bread. For main courses, consider pan-roasted duck breast, filet mignon with mushroom ragout, grilled swordfish, or chicken cacciatore. 🥂 Perfect for a special dinner, a gathering of wine lovers, or an occasion where a complex and age-worthy California Pinot Noir is desired. Its layered profile and firm structure suggest it will continue to evolve with a few more years in the cellar.