2019 Pinot Noir Cuvée Ruth

There’s a rabid following for Erica Landon and Ken Pahlow’s Chardonnays – and for good reason, as they are among the very best being made in the New World – but Landon and Pahlow deserve more attention for their Pinot Noirs, which seem to get better with each passing vintage. The Pinots are made from fruit that is almost always de-stemmed and raised in varying percentages of new oak, generally somewhere in the one-third range. The elegant, fresh character that strongly defines much of the 2019 vintage plays squarely into the house style here, which emphasizes energy and balance over brawn. Compared to their excellent 2018 and 2017 siblings, the 2019 Walter Scott Pinots lean strongly toward the red fruit spectrum, their floral and spice character is pronounced, and their tannic structure is present but discreet. I suspect they will age effortlessly, but there’s plenty to like about them now, especially if you don’t mind some well-judged new oak influence.