2017 Capiaux Chimera Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 750 ml

One of the most consistent and overdelivering $30 wines, this 2017 Capiaux Chimera Pinot Noir can’t be beat, especially given its pedigree: Grapes are sourced from Starscape, Sale, and Widdoes Vineyards (sites that also go to DuMol, Dutton-Goldfield, and Talisman) with a smattering from Rober Parker’s “Grand Cru” Pisoni Vineyard in Santa Lucia Highlands, and a splash from Wilson Vineyard in the extreme Sonoma Coast. Sean Capiaux, a veteran of Jordan, Pine Ridge, and Peter Michael, has produced this label very successfully for 26 vintages running, and if his name sounds familiar that because he’s also the winemaker for O'Shaughnessy and their Progeny Winery on Mt. Veeder. 

In the glass, this 2017 Capiaux Pinot shows a deep and enticing with red and purple flowers led by bramble and violets, underscored by exotic black tea notes layered with a hint of grapefruit and red berries. Elegant and structured with cranberry notes, mouthwatering acidity and a lengthy finish.

Capiaux’s Chimera bottling is named for a bit of Greek mythology—a Chimera is "a monster comprised of three different animals," which also appears on the label. The wine was originally a blend of grapes from three of Capiaux’s favorite spots, but as his own career grew and he began achieving numerous 95-98-point Parker scores, access to top-notch Russian River sources opened up. 

Aged for 11 months in just 15 percent new French oak, the one-time Parker protege, Antonio Galloni of Vinous noted its “terrific balance and plenty of appeal,” in his review. As for the vintage, all you need to know is what Twomey and Silver Oak winemaker Nate Weis reported to the Sonoma County Vintners: “The 2017 wines are fantastic with excellent concentrations of flavors,” and for those who picked before the evening of October 8th when fires broke out—winemakers like Sean Capiaux whose stunning juice was safely in tank—the results are astounding. This Pinot is a testament and compared to its pricey counterpoints, like say, Peter Michael Ma Danseuse ($180+), which Capiaux has produced, it might be the Pinot deal of the vintage.