2016 Double L Pinot Noir 1.5L
Pinot Noir demands the most from winegrower and vintner. Morgan’s Double L Vineyard and winemaking team have, for years, set the standard for world-class Pinot Noir.
The Double L Vineyard’s location in the northern end of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is widely regarded as one of the best spots for growing top flight Pinot Noir. Planted on east facing terraces overlooking the Salinas River Valley, the north-south vineyard row orientation provides optimum sun exposure and access to the strong afternoon breezes. The winds moderate the afternoon temperature, thickening the grape skins and concentrating flavors. The vineyard has been Certified Organic since 2002, making it the first vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands to achieve both organic and sustainable certifications.
Morgan’s 2016 Double L Pinot Noir presents aromas of cherry cough drop, black tea, and a hint of toasty oak. The wine is rich but still smooth; the aromas on the palate are supported by flavors of bramble berry and cigar box. An exquisite match for duck confit, lamb shank, and prime rib.
94 Points
"Another head-turner is the 2016 Pinot Noir Double L, which was also destemmed and spent ten months in 50% new oak. It’s a tight, vibrant, youthful effort offering medium-bodied notes of blackberry and black cherry fruits intermixed with plenty of spice, scorched earth, and background oak. With beautiful purity, terrific balance, and again, a vibrant texture, it will be better with a year of bottle age and keep for upwards of a decade."
- Jeb Dunnuck, Febuary 2019
93 Points
"Vivid ruby-red. Smoke- and spice-tinged dark berry cola mocha and succulent floral aromas show excellent delineation and pick up a minerally nuance on the back half. Supple and concentrated on the palate offering intense red and dark berry flavors sharpened by a peppery nuance that gains strength on the back half. Finishes very long smooth and appealingly sweet with velvety tannins and lingering dark fruit notes." - Josh Raynolds, October 2018
93 Points
"Soft cherry and earth nose; silky texture with notes of cherry and spice; showing ripe fruit and good length. Aged ten months in 50% new French oak." - Anthony Dias Blue, August 2018
91 Points
"Moderate garnet color in the glass. Eager to please aromas of cherry, raspberry, dark red rose petal and nutty oak. Sleek and refined on the palate with a mid weight core of purple berry and plum fruit flavors underscored by a smoky note that resembles smoke taint.The tannins are well balanced and there is a pleasing acid underbelly making the wine vibrant and easy to enjoy from the get-go." - Rusty Gaffney, April 2018