Calera Mills Vineyard Pinot Noir 2020

Coming from one of the estate’s most distinctive sites, this wine reflects Josh Jensen’s pioneering vision for world-class Pinot Noir outside Burgundy. Founded in the late 1970s, Calera was established after Jensen identified the limestone-rich soils of the Gabilan Mountains in San Benito County as uniquely suited to Pinot Noir, modelled on the great vineyards of Burgundy. Mills Vineyard sits at high elevation on limestone and volcanic-derived soils, where cool maritime influence and significant diurnal shifts allow for slow ripening, natural freshness and finely detailed aromatics. The site is farmed with a focus on sustainability and low yields to ensure concentration and site transparency.

Made from 100% Pinot Noir, the wine is fermented with native yeasts and given a gentle extraction to preserve finesse and aromatic clarity, followed by ageing in French oak barrels, a proportion of which is new, to add subtle structure and complexity. The 2020 shows aromas of red cherry, wild strawberry and cranberry alongside notes of rose petal, dried herbs, forest floor and a subtle mineral, limestone-driven edge. The palate is focused and elegant, with bright acidity, fine tannins and a long, savoury finish that reflects both the vineyard’s altitude and calcareous soils. Combining purity of fruit with a distinctive mineral backbone, it is a precise and age-worthy expression of California Pinot Noir with clear Burgundian inspiration.