2022 La Crema Pinot Noir Monterey Monterey County California 6pk 6x750ml

Rod Bergland founded La Crema Vinera in 1979 in a Petaluma business park after working harvests for Joseph Swan, launching with a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir that same year. Jackson Family Wines bought the operation in 1993, shortened the name to La Crema, and built a Russian River facility focused on cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Pacific coast appellations.

Monterey County sits in the cold shoulder of California's Central Coast, where Pacific fog pours through the Salinas Valley and holds temperatures down through long summer afternoons. The result is Pinot Noir with the structure and aromatics of cool-climate fruit, built on red and black cherry rather than jammy weight, at a fraction of what similar quality costs in Russian River or Santa Barbara.

2022 brought a wet spring, a regular growing season and a warm fall that trimmed yields slightly. The wine spent about eight months in new and used French oak.

La Crema describes black plum, cherry and earth on the nose, opening to raspberry and mineral on the palate, with a rich texture, juicy acidity and integrated toasted spice. Wine Enthusiast scored it 91, and Anthony Gismondi gave it 90, calling it ready to drink with salmon, poke or duck pizza.