2020 Skylark Pinot Blanc, Mendocino, Orsi Vineyard

Straw color. The aromas feature quince, cactus flower, minerals, hints of ginger and ground coriander seed. The palate is rich and dense, with bracing acidity. The floral and mineral notes intensify, now a touch of granny smith apple, there is flint, there is iron.
I love Pinot Blanc, IMO a grape that gets far too little respect. This is a brilliant example.

I bought this from Last Bottle for $12!?! I ordered three bottles. I’d never had it before, or even heard of the winery. In retrospect, I was an idiot. 3 cases might not have been enough. I looked on the website, current release is $19, if it’s this quality, an absolute bargain.

In the conversation about why ‘only boomers’ like wine, there are posts about price being a deterrent. I seriously beg to differ. I just got a beautiful brilliant wine for twelve whole dollars.
But they make 600 cases a year of this, or less than one bottle for every million people on this planet. I get it, and it is a real problem.

Rated 91.5, could improve a point over the next few years. I won’t let myself open another until late next fall, this is a winter weight white.

Dan Kravitz

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I just had one of their 2022 Pinot Blancs with Robert Perkins and a couple mutual friends up here in Ukiah a couple weeks ago and it was a beautiful wine. PB’s can be flabby from here occasionally but these consistently have great acid.

Cheers!

Ed

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Hi Ed,

Thanks for the note. I agree that PB can be flabby. When it’s not, it can make great wine. Ground Zero seems to be the Alto Adige. Anybody else on the West Coast you know of who produces a high quality PB?

Thanks.

Navarro makes a very nice balanced PB

Thank you for the tasting notes! I picked up one as well. I have no experience with Pinot blanc and looking forward to mine.

I also noticed the 2019 was on the UC site for $3 or $4 but looks like it got snapped up.