2020 The Vice Pinot Noir The House Batch No 49 Carneros Napa Valley 750 ml

The windy hills of Carneros have been a gold mine for Pinot producers for decades, and The Vice’s Batch 49 is no exception. It’s an elegant and explosive Pinot that hails from a Carneros vineyard we can’t name, but one that gets mentioned in the same breath as Sangiacomo and Hyde. 

The Vice specializes in sourcing top-quality grapes from vineyards whose owners don’t want their name on the label. We were some of The Vice’s earliest supporters, so we’re able to let our members in on this little secret. 

Once you pour a glass, you’re treated to a pure expression of Carneros’s fantastic terroir. Bold aromas of candied cherries, bright red berries, and cola sweep upwards, drawing you in. On the palate, there’s the trademark silkiness we love about the appellation, framed by vibrant fruit, accented by a hint of vanilla, and gliding into a bright, zesty finish. 

The Vice owes much of what they do to the well-connected winemaker they’ve got at the helm. Vance Rose’s résumé includes stints with Donum, Ehlers, Grieve Family Winery, and Double Eagle.

The site that gave us this 2020 Pinot is at the northern tip of Carneros, bordering Mount Veeder. The rows are planted north-south, allowing them to get maximum sun exposure. The afternoon breeze from San Pablo Bay blows through the vines, invigorating the Pinot and fostering the brisk acidity that translates to verve in the glass.

California Pinot lovers should take note and take action. It’s been two vintages since we last had the chance to offer one of The Vice’s stellar Pinots, and with yields down across California this year, it’s hard to know when our—and your—next chance will be.