2017 Pinot Noir Joli Coeur is wonderfully complete and balanced, with complexity, elegance, and power all present in this thrilling bottle of wine. Black raspberries, graphite, sandalwood, and crushed rock nuances all flow to a medium to full-bodied effort that has nothing out of place, polished tannins, and integrated acidity.
Reviews:
- Wine Advocate: The Joli Coeur Pinot Noir comes from the ‘sweet spot’ within the Coteaux Nobles and En Famille vineyards in Fort Ross-Seaview AVA. Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2017 Pinot Noir Joli Coeur comes rolling out of the glass with fragrant notes of chocolate-covered cherries, mulberries and raspberry tart plus nuances of lilacs, underbrush, mossy bark and wild mushrooms. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-filling red berry and earthy layers, framed by electric acidity and lovely, ripe, grainy tannins, finishing very long.
- Vinous: Another stand out in this range, the 2017 Pinot Noir Joli Cœur possesses striking inner perfume and tons of nuance to match is deep, inviting personality. Star anise, rose petal, wild flowers and spice add myriad shades of complexity. Impeccable in its balance and absolutely irresistible, the Joli Cœur is incredibly appealing, even in the early going.
Producer Information
Morlet Family Vineyards is a wine producer located in St. Helena, California. It produces a range of single-vineyard wines from Napa Valley and Sonoma County, from the area’s key grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. The estate was founded by Jodie and Luc Morlet, whose family owns Pierre Morlet & Fils in Champagne, France. The estate consists of vineyards in Oakville, St. Helena, and Knights Valley, and has long-terrm contracts with vineyards in Fort Ross-Seaview, Russian River Valley, Bennett Valley, Dry Creek and Napa Valley. Each site is planted to the grape varieties that respond best to the individual terroir. Morlet’s approach to winemaking is minimalist and Old World in style, using classical techniques from Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. The grapes are picked by hand, then destemmed and double-sorted when they reach the St. Helena winery. Native yeasts carry out the fermentation process, and wines are aged in French oak barrels before release. Morlet Family Vineyard’s wines are sold through mailing list and in high-profile restaurants around the world. Top-rated wines from the estate include the white Bordeaux-style blend La Proportion Dorée, the Bouquet Garni Syrah, the Coeur de Vallée Cabernet Sauvignon. There are also multiple expressions of Pinot Noir from the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA.
