91 Points, Wine Enthusiast 90 Points, The Tasting Panel
The 2015 Divum Pinot Noir was harvested from our two distinct Pinot Noir vineyards, Danny’s and Grava, in the cool climate growing region of Monterey. Winemaking was designed around best expressing the attributes of each.
Aromas of violets, plum and rose, accented by toast and spice. Full body with raspberry and cherry on the palate. Integrated notes of French oak toast and brown spice. Well balanced, long silky finish. Made in a classic Pinot Noir style.
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
The Monterey AVA is known for the influence of the Monterey Canyon, the deepest submarine gorge on the west coast of the United States. The canyon brings a phenomenon known as upwelling, where wind pushes warm water near the surface away from the shore bringing the colder water near the bottom of the canyon up toward the surface. The cold water chills the wind blowing over the ocean, which as it hits land, generates fogs. Each morning, as the sun rises, the southern end of the Salinas Valley warms up, creating a low-pressure effect that pulls the cool foggy air over the ocean and down the valley. Over the course of a day, the valley gradually heats from 50 to 70 degrees; a condition well suited for growing high quality, cool climate varietals.
The influence of upwelling is apparent throughout Monterey County, but because our vineyards snug up to the base of the Gabilan Mountain Range, they are at an elevation where the foggy air doesn’t linger as long as it does in the balance of the valley. Our vineyards experience a more dramatic shift from high daytime temperature to cold nighttime air, which, coupled with the longer hang time, further enhances full varietal character.
Our vineyards also have the advantage of being located near a granite quarry. As you might have guessed, the top of our soil profile consists of two to three feet of decomposed granite followed by a heavy clay loam. Decomposed granite is well drained and perfect for viticulture. Unlike most crops, quality in wine grapes is highly correlated to challenging soils. Vines planted to decomposed granite tend to self-regulate themselves which will in turn produce smaller yields of intense complex flavors.
Specifications
Vintage: 2015
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Appellation: Monterey County
Vineyards: 15% Danny’s Vineyard & 85% Grava Vineyard
Vinification: Native Fermentation, French Oak 10 months
Alcohol: 13.9%
pH: 3.6
Included In The Box
6-bottles:
6x 2015 Divum Pinot Noir, Monterey
Case:
12x 2015 Divum Pinot Noir, Monterey
Price Comparison
$240 for a case (not for sale online)
About The Winery
Winery: Divum Wines
Owner: Franscioni Family
Founded: 2011
Location: Napa Valley, St. Helena
Divum is the result of four generations all sharing the same passion for living, breathing, and working the farm land of the Salinas Valley.
Brothers Tom and Rob Franscioni grew up farming under their late father, Dan Franscioni, who tragically passed in an airplane accident in 2011. Since then the two brothers have entrenched themselves in the wine world, learning all they can and taking the family farm beyond just the production of high quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes to the production of their own family wine label, Divum.
With vineyard holdings located in some of the most desirable locations within the Monterey appellation, the brothers are fortunate to have the opportunity to work with some of the most coveted wine varieties.
Specializing in the Burgundian wines Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, they pride themselves on producing wines of the utmost quality; believing that great wines are primarily made in the vineyard. Fruit is sourced from the highest quality blocks from any of their three family owned estate vineyards, all of which are farmed sustainably under the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.
Being not only brothers but also best friends and joint proprietors, Tom and Rob know the importance of family. To them, Divum is just that.
Our winemaker, Sara Steiner, is a stickler for honest wines. Sara took a hard stand against making a “manipulated wine.” Our wines are made with 100% Pinot Noir, native fermentation, and sustainably farmed grapes. We believe this wine is a sincere reflection of our sense of place and our company culture. This is the wine our father would have made.
Our label is all about our Dad. Danny was a passionate outdoorsman whose favorite way to spend time was at the controls of an aerobatic plane. “Divum” is the Latin word for sky or open air and our icon is a highly stylized propeller supported by a blue stripe representing the sky.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
91 Points
There’s a great animalistic streak on this bottling by fourth-generation farmers Tom and Rob Franscioni, with aromas of game hide as well as bursting cranberries and wet slate on the nose. The animal flavors meet with campfire smoke on the palate, with supportive red fruit, acidity and tannins to hold it all together. 7/1/18 MK
Another shipping question…and yes August is still a no ship month…
When ordering “ice + fast delivery” the standard shipping charge is added to the ice upgrade. So in fact if you order a case of this with the ice upgrade, you are paying $52 for shipping? The $40 upgrade plus the $12 standard shipping fee. That correct?
@kaolis If I select standard (free) shipping, I get a total of $116.92 after tax. If I change to ice+fast I get a total of $159.44 ($42.52 more, $2.52 of which I assume is tax on the ice+fast upcharge).
@kaolis That’s curious, seeing that you have the Kickstarter badge. But the ice+fast is designated as an “extra charge”, so it does not seem out of place that it would be in addition to regular shipping.
@kaolis
Yes, not only is the $40 upgrade an additional charge on top of the standard shipping rate, by bundling it into the case price it becomes fully taxable per CA state tax laws. So your actual shipping cost for the case is not $40 or even $52, it’s $54.52. (based on Mark_L’s numbers)
EDIT to note that the shipping tax is different for each user based on state of residence. For kaolis, it’s apparently an even $2.00, for me it works out to $2.32.
@chipgreen Not liking the Wine Enthusiast reference…“There’s a great animalistic streak on this bottling…with aromas of game hide…animal flavors meet with campfire smoke on the palate…” Are they really saying this is BBQ animal in a bottle?
Well…shipping question be damned…but when my $109 case of wine becomes a $170 case of wine…well…well it isn’t a $109 case of wine anymore is it? And $109 is the price front and center on the offer page…
@kaolis@rjquillin the home page shows from 65 - 150 for me (least to most expensive options). Not that this adds anything to the conversation of expensive shipping making it less desirable to buy cheap wine
@kaolis We’ll see after the rats chime in.
For me, Pinot Noir is a rather risky grape without tasting it or having sufficient additional information on style. (i.e. I’ve had too many jolly rancher Pinots!)
@klezman I don’t disagree…but i’d be a tad more compelled to take a chance at $109 than $170 if I’m looking for a cellar defender, which is what this is
Howdy gang. Pardon the tardiness–just drove in from out of town! After a very long weekend and long day of driving, I was pleased to find a bottle welcoming me home. I quickly rushed inside to open it, pour it, taste it, anddddd … be disappointed .
It had and interesting aroma of wet barn animal. It tasted like dull, smooth, sweet fruit… SO MUCH sweet strawberry, raspberry, and cherry. No other noticeable flavors. Just sweet fruit and a eerily smooth mouthfeel.
Fast Forward 7 ish hours later THIS WINE ROCKS. It changed so much.
Wet barn animal is now joined by cranberry on the nose. Watermelon rind of all things has come into the pallet. The sweet fruit is no longer so sweet. It is lighter and somehow less viscous? We have some tart, some tannin, some smokey wood shenanigans. Gone is the singular sweet sugar liquid. We are now so much more complex and exciting. Flavors dance and spark across the tongue. Lingering dry finish and hints of cherry stay with you some time after the swallow.
Incredibly glad I poured a second glass later in the evening. This wine punches above its price tag. Sweet enough I’d say for those who like that; however, tart and smokey enough for those who do not enjoy sweet wine.
I am working to peg it but it is somewhere between Twizzler & Licorice—smooth but with a tiny cranberry bite to keep it balanced.
I would be glad to serve this to guests or just drink it all myself–after some time to let it open and breath of course.
I will also have 1 more glass tomorrow and can answer any questions/update as needed.
@connorbush The longer is has had to breathe, the better it gets. Very glad I did not judge on first go round alone. Solid wine especially given the price.
@bpsmyth August is a “no ship month” for me,not casemates if that is what you are referencing. casemates unfortunately ships 52 weeks no matter the weather. Sorry for any confusion. I absolutely will not have wine shipped to me in hot weather, absolutely no wine shipments from June to September. That window subject to expansion. I order here on casemates only when weather is favorable because they refuse to hold shipments for future shipping. As most if not all reputable wine sellers will. “Summer shipping” here was a work-around. Not a good work-around in my opinion but a work-around nonetheless. Actually a poor work-around because it isn’t even offered until a good part of the country is hot. Then ice packs were added at a not so unreasonable price to be honest, although I don’t need any wine bad enough to ship during the summer. Now the ice pack price is certainly not a deal, and I predict a deal killer for many wines offered here during hot months.
@kaolis ah, thank you for the clarification. I was kind of hoping for a buy-and-wait option. Good news is by the time I wait, there will be another great opportunity!
2015 Divum Pinot Noir, Monterey
Tasting Notes
91 Points, Wine Enthusiast
90 Points, The Tasting Panel
The 2015 Divum Pinot Noir was harvested from our two distinct Pinot Noir vineyards, Danny’s and Grava, in the cool climate growing region of Monterey. Winemaking was designed around best expressing the attributes of each.
Aromas of violets, plum and rose, accented by toast and spice. Full body with raspberry and cherry on the palate. Integrated notes of French oak toast and brown spice. Well balanced, long silky finish. Made in a classic Pinot Noir style.
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
The Monterey AVA is known for the influence of the Monterey Canyon, the deepest submarine gorge on the west coast of the United States. The canyon brings a phenomenon known as upwelling, where wind pushes warm water near the surface away from the shore bringing the colder water near the bottom of the canyon up toward the surface. The cold water chills the wind blowing over the ocean, which as it hits land, generates fogs. Each morning, as the sun rises, the southern end of the Salinas Valley warms up, creating a low-pressure effect that pulls the cool foggy air over the ocean and down the valley. Over the course of a day, the valley gradually heats from 50 to 70 degrees; a condition well suited for growing high quality, cool climate varietals.
The influence of upwelling is apparent throughout Monterey County, but because our vineyards snug up to the base of the Gabilan Mountain Range, they are at an elevation where the foggy air doesn’t linger as long as it does in the balance of the valley. Our vineyards experience a more dramatic shift from high daytime temperature to cold nighttime air, which, coupled with the longer hang time, further enhances full varietal character.
Our vineyards also have the advantage of being located near a granite quarry. As you might have guessed, the top of our soil profile consists of two to three feet of decomposed granite followed by a heavy clay loam. Decomposed granite is well drained and perfect for viticulture. Unlike most crops, quality in wine grapes is highly correlated to challenging soils. Vines planted to decomposed granite tend to self-regulate themselves which will in turn produce smaller yields of intense complex flavors.
Specifications
Included In The Box
Price Comparison
$240 for a case (not for sale online)
About The Winery
Winery: Divum Wines
Owner: Franscioni Family
Founded: 2011
Location: Napa Valley, St. Helena
Divum is the result of four generations all sharing the same passion for living, breathing, and working the farm land of the Salinas Valley.
Brothers Tom and Rob Franscioni grew up farming under their late father, Dan Franscioni, who tragically passed in an airplane accident in 2011. Since then the two brothers have entrenched themselves in the wine world, learning all they can and taking the family farm beyond just the production of high quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes to the production of their own family wine label, Divum.
With vineyard holdings located in some of the most desirable locations within the Monterey appellation, the brothers are fortunate to have the opportunity to work with some of the most coveted wine varieties.
Specializing in the Burgundian wines Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, they pride themselves on producing wines of the utmost quality; believing that great wines are primarily made in the vineyard. Fruit is sourced from the highest quality blocks from any of their three family owned estate vineyards, all of which are farmed sustainably under the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.
Being not only brothers but also best friends and joint proprietors, Tom and Rob know the importance of family. To them, Divum is just that.
Our winemaker, Sara Steiner, is a stickler for honest wines. Sara took a hard stand against making a “manipulated wine.” Our wines are made with 100% Pinot Noir, native fermentation, and sustainably farmed grapes. We believe this wine is a sincere reflection of our sense of place and our company culture. This is the wine our father would have made.
Our label is all about our Dad. Danny was a passionate outdoorsman whose favorite way to spend time was at the controls of an aerobatic plane. “Divum” is the Latin word for sky or open air and our icon is a highly stylized propeller supported by a blue stripe representing the sky.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Thursday, August 29th - Tuesday, September 3rd
Divum Pinot Noir
6 bottles for $64.99 $10.83/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $109.99 $9.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2015 Divum Pinot Noir
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2015 Divum Pinot Noir - $20 = 15.38%
SoCal folks!
Head on over to the gathering thread for our next gathering two weekends from now and chime in.
https://casemates.com/forum/topics/socal-54-its-been-too-long
And from Wine Enthusiast:
91 Points
There’s a great animalistic streak on this bottling by fourth-generation farmers Tom and Rob Franscioni, with aromas of game hide as well as bursting cranberries and wet slate on the nose. The animal flavors meet with campfire smoke on the palate, with supportive red fruit, acidity and tannins to hold it all together. 7/1/18 MK
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/divum-2015-pinot-noir-monterey/
fwiw
Another shipping question…and yes August is still a no ship month…
When ordering “ice + fast delivery” the standard shipping charge is added to the ice upgrade. So in fact if you order a case of this with the ice upgrade, you are paying $52 for shipping? The $40 upgrade plus the $12 standard shipping fee. That correct?
@kaolis If I select standard (free) shipping, I get a total of $116.92 after tax. If I change to ice+fast I get a total of $159.44 ($42.52 more, $2.52 of which I assume is tax on the ice+fast upcharge).
@Mark_L But my standard shipping is not free, it’s $12:
ORDER SUMMARY
DIVUM PINOT NOIRcase (12-bottles), standard$109.99
SHIPPING$12
TAX$6.10
TOTAL$128.09
@kaolis That’s curious, seeing that you have the Kickstarter badge. But the ice+fast is designated as an “extra charge”, so it does not seem out of place that it would be in addition to regular shipping.
@Mark_L and here is my case price shipped with ice, $12 + $40:
DIVUM PINOT NOIRcase (12-bottles), ice + fast delivery (extra charge)$149.99
SHIPPING$12
TAX$8.10
TOTAL$170.09
not bitching, just curious, is probably explained somewhere and I didn’t see it
@kaolis
Yes, not only is the $40 upgrade an additional charge on top of the standard shipping rate, by bundling it into the case price it becomes fully taxable per CA state tax laws. So your actual shipping cost for the case is not $40 or even $52, it’s $54.52. (based on Mark_L’s numbers)
EDIT to note that the shipping tax is different for each user based on state of residence. For kaolis, it’s apparently an even $2.00, for me it works out to $2.32.
This sounds really interesting but no NH shipping - hoping for labrat reports? If anyone in Northern MA wants to split a case I’d be game…
We have a Lab Rat who will be chiming in tonight! Stay tuned…
@arianaWCC NeilFindsWines?
@arianaWCC @rjquillin
“Tonight” being a relative term…
@chipgreen Definitely not EST!!
@chipgreen Not liking the Wine Enthusiast reference…“There’s a great animalistic streak on this bottling…with aromas of game hide…animal flavors meet with campfire smoke on the palate…” Are they really saying this is BBQ animal in a bottle?
@arianaWCC On my way!
Well…shipping question be damned…but when my $109 case of wine becomes a $170 case of wine…well…well it isn’t a $109 case of wine anymore is it? And $109 is the price front and center on the offer page…
@kaolis A lot of club shipments seem to be like that as well, where shipping kills off any ‘deal’.
@rjquillin I do not belong to any clubs, so can’t agree or disagree
And it’s all relative, trust me, I’ve spent more on shipping than the case price here
@kaolis @rjquillin the home page shows from 65 - 150 for me (least to most expensive options). Not that this adds anything to the conversation of expensive shipping making it less desirable to buy cheap wine
The map designating sales is maybe a telltale sign of the real pricing here…doesn’t look particularly lit up as they say
@kaolis We’ll see after the rats chime in.
For me, Pinot Noir is a rather risky grape without tasting it or having sufficient additional information on style. (i.e. I’ve had too many jolly rancher Pinots!)
@klezman I don’t disagree…but i’d be a tad more compelled to take a chance at $109 than $170 if I’m looking for a cellar defender, which is what this is
@kaolis Definitely. I have so much wine there’s no more buying cellar defenders any more. Just good stuff I actually want to drink.
@kaolis @klezman must be nice being in the top 1 percent
@kaolis @losthighwayz We checked the NY Times thing they had up - we’re nowhere close!
Good bottles I want to drink != expensive bottles
Howdy gang. Pardon the tardiness–just drove in from out of town! After a very long weekend and long day of driving, I was pleased to find a bottle welcoming me home. I quickly rushed inside to open it, pour it, taste it, anddddd … be disappointed .
It had and interesting aroma of wet barn animal. It tasted like dull, smooth, sweet fruit… SO MUCH sweet strawberry, raspberry, and cherry. No other noticeable flavors. Just sweet fruit and a eerily smooth mouthfeel.
Fast Forward 7 ish hours later THIS WINE ROCKS. It changed so much.
Wet barn animal is now joined by cranberry on the nose. Watermelon rind of all things has come into the pallet. The sweet fruit is no longer so sweet. It is lighter and somehow less viscous? We have some tart, some tannin, some smokey wood shenanigans. Gone is the singular sweet sugar liquid. We are now so much more complex and exciting. Flavors dance and spark across the tongue. Lingering dry finish and hints of cherry stay with you some time after the swallow.
Incredibly glad I poured a second glass later in the evening. This wine punches above its price tag. Sweet enough I’d say for those who like that; however, tart and smokey enough for those who do not enjoy sweet wine.
I am working to peg it but it is somewhere between Twizzler & Licorice—smooth but with a tiny cranberry bite to keep it balanced.
I would be glad to serve this to guests or just drink it all myself–after some time to let it open and breath of course.
I will also have 1 more glass tomorrow and can answer any questions/update as needed.
Thanks!
@connorbush The longer is has had to breathe, the better it gets. Very glad I did not judge on first go round alone. Solid wine especially given the price.
So if August is a no ship month and I order with standard shipping does it just wait a while to ship, or is that not actually an option?
@bpsmyth It is not an option. The wine will ship regardless of which method you choose.
@bpsmyth August is a “no ship month” for me,not casemates if that is what you are referencing. casemates unfortunately ships 52 weeks no matter the weather. Sorry for any confusion. I absolutely will not have wine shipped to me in hot weather, absolutely no wine shipments from June to September. That window subject to expansion. I order here on casemates only when weather is favorable because they refuse to hold shipments for future shipping. As most if not all reputable wine sellers will. “Summer shipping” here was a work-around. Not a good work-around in my opinion but a work-around nonetheless. Actually a poor work-around because it isn’t even offered until a good part of the country is hot. Then ice packs were added at a not so unreasonable price to be honest, although I don’t need any wine bad enough to ship during the summer. Now the ice pack price is certainly not a deal, and I predict a deal killer for many wines offered here during hot months.
@kaolis ah, thank you for the clarification. I was kind of hoping for a buy-and-wait option. Good news is by the time I wait, there will be another great opportunity!
It usually ships in 7-10 days if you’re in the Midwest : ]
I’m Dan and I’m with the winery.
We appreciate all of your comments. If I can answer any questions, please let me know.