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2017 Tolosa Winery Apex Vineyard Pinot Noir

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Latest Sale Price

July 6, 2025 - $31

Estimate

RATINGS

95James Suckling

...very savory and intense with fantastic aromas of crushed berries, forest fruit, dried meat and mushrooms. Cracked pepper and cardamom. Full-bodied. Driven and rich. Decadent.

94The Wine Advocate

...nose of cranberry and blueberry sauce, wet stone, prosciutto, wet bark and earth with black fruits at the core plus amaro accents. Medium-bodied, intense and concentrated in the mouth, it has wonderful spicy fruits framed by firm, grainy tannins and good freshness to lift the long, flavorful finish.

92Vinous / IWC

Exotic spices, cherry cola and black raspberry on the highly perfumed nose, along with hints of candied flowers, vanilla and black tea. Appealingly sweet cherry preserve, red berry and fruitcake flavors are energized by a spicy element that gains strength as the wine opens up. Fine-grained tannins lend gentle grip to a persistent finish that features resonating floral and spice notes.

92Wine Enthusiast

Inviting aromas of boysenberry and Bing cherry meet with a hint of smoke on the juicy yet savory nose...palate shows off lots of California sunshine, with ripe flavors of cherry chiffon and hickory-smoked meats.

90Jeb Dunnuck

...offers a ripe yet savory bouquet of caramelized cherry and currant fruits interwoven with notions of ground herbs, chocolate, loamy earth, and underbrush. With medium-bodied richness and depth, good balance, and a clean finish...

PRODUCER

Tolosa Winery

Tolosa was founded in 1998 by Robin Baggett, Bob Schiebelhut and Jim Efird. The business partners began buying Edna Valley ranches and planting them with vineyards. Baggett was a native of the area who dreamed of running a cattle ranch as his grandfather had done, but by the late 1980s viticulture interested him more. Baggett in 2006 started the Alpha Omega wine venture in Napa Valley with the idea of making world class Bordeaux style wines. The success of Alpha Omega prompted him to focus on French style wines in Tolosa too, and in 2015 Baggett hired French native Frederic Elivert to craft Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on Tolosa’s Edna Valley estate. Consulting winemaker is Jean Hoefliger. Under its 1772 Series label Tolosa also produces small amounts of Rhone blends, Grenache and Sauvignon Blanc.

REGION

United States, California, Central Coast, Monterey, Santa Lucia Highlands

Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is a 12-mile long, narrow strip of an appellation wedged along the eastern hillsides of the Santa Lucia mountain range. Given its proximity to Big Sur and the Gabilan Mountain Range to the northeast, Santa Lucia a cool-climate wine growing district. Morning sun is often followed by maritime winds and fog in the afternoon, a weather pattern that prolongs the growing season and means long, gentle ripening of the grapes. Spanish missionaries planted vineyards in the district in the 18th century, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that modern winemakers planted vineyards and began making high quality wine. The district received AVA status in 1991 and today there are 6,000 vineyard acres in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Pinot Noir is the dominant grape planted, followed by Chardonnay and Riesling.

TYPE

Red Wine, Pinot Noir

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.

VINTAGE

2017 Tolosa Winery Apex Vineyard Pinot Noir