2020 Lobo Wines Pinot Noir, Wulff Vineyard, Oak Knoll District Napa Valley
90 Points, The Wine Independent 90 Points, James Suckling
Tasting Notes
“…flies out with fragrant scents of raspberry coulis, kirsch, and redcurrant jelly plus touches of garrigue and rosehip tea. The medium-bodied palate is bright and vivacious, with a lively line and soft tannins, finishing with a compelling herbal lift." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
“Rich and spicy pinot with notes of ripe raspberries, kirsch, hibiscus, and licorice. Medium-bodied with fresh acidity coming through and a chalky, minty aftertaste.” - James Suckling
A uniquely Napa Valley Pinot Noir from our family vineyard in the Oak Knoll District. Our blend of Martini heritage, Mariafeld, and Dijon 115 clones provides a smooth, savory expression.
Krys and Randy Wulff have been growing premium grapes in Napa Valley for over 20 years, selling to many ultra premium wineries such as Lewis Cellars, Mumm, Robert Mondavi, and The Prisoner. The husband and wife team hand selects specific rows/blocks in their vineyard from which to produce their own label, Lobo, Spanish for wolf, as a play on their last name and to show respect to the Hispanic workforce in Napa agriculture.
The Vineyard
Located in the “sweet spot” of the Oak Knoll District, just north of the town of Napa, the vineyard benefits from a big diurnal swing and fog layer from the San Pablo Bay. Gravelly, silty, loamy soils provide good drainage, allowing the ideal conditions for struggle in the vines along with abundant sunshine. It is planted to a mix of Martini, Dijon 115, and Mariafeld clones, tightly spaced and hand-tended 100%. This results in complex flavors and great acidity to provide a Burgundian frame to this earthy, spicy, and high-toned red fruit expression of Pinot Noir. We’re one of only 4 Napa-grown Pinots north of Carneros.
The Winemaking
Victoria Coleman began her wine career at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. She graduated from the viticulture & enology program at UC Davis and studied for a season under Erick Tourbier at Chateau Mouton Rothschild. Upon her return to the valley, she began crafting Lobo wines in 2008. Victoria is both the first black woman to graduate viticulture/enology from UC Davis and also the first black woman winemaker in Napa Valley!
Specs
Process: ~ 21-day skin contact and aged 18 months in 30% new French oak
Alcohol: 13%
Production: 209 cases
Release: June 2024
What’s Included
4-bottles:
4x 2020 Lobo Wines Pinot Noir, Wulff Vineyard, Oak Knoll District Napa Valley Case:
12x 2020 Lobo Wines Pinot Noir, Wulff Vineyard, Oak Knoll District Napa Valley
We have been growing premium Napa Valley grapes for over 20 years. After making our first “family barrel” from our Pinot Noir, we were in love with the process and the result. We went from 25 cases of Pinot Noir to a range of 8 wines over the course of 17 vintages, around 2100 cases per vintage.
This passion became an “encore” career and quite a ride. Our singular goal has always been to make truly world-class wines that our friends and family could enjoy. We have filled more than 10,000 wine orders, received consistently exceptional scores from wine writers, gained distributors in numerous states, and been featured on the wine lists of many Napa Valley restaurants. One of our Cabs was on the cover of Decanter, the largest wine publication in the world, and praised as the highest rated California Cab.
As the years have flown by, we decided to retire, winding down Lobo Wines by the end of 2024.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Good evening!
Hope everyone had a peaceful and happy Mother’s Day!
A mysterious 6 lb box arrived last week and—ta-da!—inside was the 2020 Lobo Wulff Vineyards Pinot Noir. I figured the bottle must’ve been tired from its jetlagged journey, so I let it rest in a cool, dark room for a few days.
On Saturday the 11th, I couldn’t resist the urge and decided to have just a tiny sip.
The bottle was heavy and sturdy. The cork came out clean and in perfect condition. I poured a small amount into my cherished Riedel O stemless glass (they break just by looking at them!).
The initial whiff? Not much—maybe a stony note and a slight touch of alcohol? After a good 30-second swirl, the wine was muted, gently tart, non-fruity, non-oaky, with a light to medium body and an aftertaste I couldn’t quite put my finger on…
Day 2: Mother’s Day Sunday
I prepared BBQ pork ribs, grilled salmon, buttered asparagus, and grilled oyster mushrooms for the pairing.
This time, I poured a full glass and gave it a solid sniff—still no change or sign of evolution from the day before. My wife and teenage daughter shared the same impression.
As for taste: flavors finally showed up on the back end.
The wife got-fresh cherry and bright, hard strawberry.
Me-pressed fresh cherry infused with Evian and a hint of watermelon.
It actually paired well with the grilled salmon, but the Dinosaur-sauced BBQ rib was maybe a bit too bold for it.
I found this wine very unique and intriguing—in the way that, by the time you’re trying to figure it out, the bottle’s already gone.
2020 Lobo Wines Pinot Noir, Wulff Vineyard, Oak Knoll District Napa Valley
90 Points, The Wine Independent
90 Points, James Suckling
Tasting Notes
The Vineyard
The Winemaking
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale on winery website, $600/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jun 2 - Tuesday, Jun 3
2020 Lobo Wines Napa Valley Pinot Noir
4 bottles for $79.99 $20/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $184.99 $15.42/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Good evening!
Hope everyone had a peaceful and happy Mother’s Day!
A mysterious 6 lb box arrived last week and—ta-da!—inside was the 2020 Lobo Wulff Vineyards Pinot Noir. I figured the bottle must’ve been tired from its jetlagged journey, so I let it rest in a cool, dark room for a few days.
On Saturday the 11th, I couldn’t resist the urge and decided to have just a tiny sip.
The bottle was heavy and sturdy. The cork came out clean and in perfect condition. I poured a small amount into my cherished Riedel O stemless glass (they break just by looking at them!).
The initial whiff? Not much—maybe a stony note and a slight touch of alcohol? After a good 30-second swirl, the wine was muted, gently tart, non-fruity, non-oaky, with a light to medium body and an aftertaste I couldn’t quite put my finger on…
Day 2: Mother’s Day Sunday
I prepared BBQ pork ribs, grilled salmon, buttered asparagus, and grilled oyster mushrooms for the pairing.
This time, I poured a full glass and gave it a solid sniff—still no change or sign of evolution from the day before. My wife and teenage daughter shared the same impression.
As for taste: flavors finally showed up on the back end.
The wife got-fresh cherry and bright, hard strawberry.
Me-pressed fresh cherry infused with Evian and a hint of watermelon.
It actually paired well with the grilled salmon, but the Dinosaur-sauced BBQ rib was maybe a bit too bold for it.
I found this wine very unique and intriguing—in the way that, by the time you’re trying to figure it out, the bottle’s already gone.
Hope this helps.
Thank you, Terry.
Thank you, WD.
Thank you, Alice.
Good night, everyone!
/giphy wireless-vivacious-bulb
