Whitehall Lane Pinot Noir Stage Vineyard

Expressive cherry-strawberry nose with silky smooth cherry palate. Drinking beautifully.

Very well made Pinot with a balanced frame and nice red fruit and earth components.

Really nice wine and my first experience with a Whitehall Lane pinot (really like their cabs), this one a single vineyard from Petaluma Gap. Poured half a bottle into a decanter, where it sat for 30 minutes and drank over the next 45 or so. Did this twice, and impressions were identical. Very good aromas and excellent flavors, with cherry leading the way, plus spices, some blueberry and a little brown sugar. Fairly silky in the mouth, great balance and …

Retail $45. Under cork. Initially, this was rather light in color and relatively light in aromas with Bing or even black cherry on the nose with just a hint of earth. The palate was zingy, lively, and fun. Pretty much all I would want in a Pinot. Several hours later, however, the identity changed. Now, it is much darker in color and aromas with that black cherry component, certainly, but also some darker fruit (raspberry, plum) and a mocha component …