Highlights: Jolie-Laide Pinot Gris 2018 Sonoma County, California

Jolie-Laide is a micronegociant operation from Scott and Jenny Schultz, and it’s a small 3000 case affair. Scott worked with Pax Mahle, and this starts out as a homebrew side-gig, but Jolie-Laide is now taken quite seriously. Lots of whole cluster here, and all neutral oak, wild yeasts and minimal SO2. This Pinot Gris is just beautiful.

Jolie-Laide Pinot Gris 2018 Sonoma County, California
12% alcohol. Is this what Pinot Gris does best? It’s a remarkable skin-contact Pinot Gris that’s a beautiful onion skin/coral colour. It has a unique colour! There’s a lovely rose petal edge to the nose which also shows some earl grey tea and a touch of red cherry. The palate is fresh with watermelon, spice, orange peel and a touch of mandarin, as well as some sweet cherry. Complex and layered with real purity and beauty to it. It’s still very fresh at almost three years old, with a real delicacy and a bit of structure, too. Distinctive and really beautiful. 94/100 (£28.90 Roberson)

Here’s a video tasting note: