Silky, layered and fresh, Ranch 32 Pinot Noir from the Arroyo Seco AVA highlights the distinguished characteristics derived from this coveted cool-climate appellation. The grapes thrive in the warm afternoon sun while the vines are refreshed daily by the cold winds from the Monterey Bay.
Our 2016 Pinot Noir delivers delicate aromas of cherries, raspberries, and currants with notes of mocha and vanilla from the French oak. It is medium-bodied and velvety with soft tannins and a long elegant finish.
Food Pairing Notes
This Pinot Noir pairs perfectly with salmon, pork and strong cheeses.
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
On the west side of the Salinas Valley, directly in the path of Monterey’s relentless afternoon winds, sits Ranch 32. This is the place where we first planted vines back in 1972. Ranch 32 is about highlighting the natural characteristics of the terroir and conveying the taste of place. Each vintage, we produce small lots of wines from our sustainably farmed estate vineyards that represent the best of the appellation.
When it comes to wine, place is everything.
Our estate vineyards are within the Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, and Hames Valley AVAs. An AVA (American Viticultural Area), or appellation, is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States that is distinguishable by its geographic features. The finest wines in the world are closely identified with the regions from which they originate. An AVA designation means there are distinctive characteristics of the specific region that set it apart. Ranch 32 highlights the natural characteristics of the terroir and conveys the taste of the place.
Targeted Winemaking
Winemaking starts in the vineyard. Each decision throughout the growing year has an effect on quality and flavor. From the vineyard design to the annual activities of pruning, tying and picking decisions, we exert the highest level of control over every detail.
Our 2016 Pinot Noir grapes come from one of our estate vineyards in the Arroyo Seco AVA of Monterey County. This site is located just south of the Santa Lucia Highlands. The climate is heavily influenced by the cool afternoon winds that sweep down the Salinas Valley each afternoon off of the Monterey Bay. With nutrient-rich shaly loam soils, this is a renowned terroir for both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Upon arrival at the winery, select lots of Pinot Noir grapes were carefully sorted, destemmed, and allowed to cold soak at 50 degrees Fahrenheit to extract color and flavor from the grape skins. The must was then inoculated with select yeast and punched down three times a day at the height of fermentation. The wine was racked clean for aging with 100% French oak for 12 months to add complexity and round out the tannins.
Specifications
Vintage: 2016
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Appellation: Arroyo Seco
pH: 3.66
Barrel Regime: 12 months, 100% French oak, 35% new
Winery: Scheid Family Wines
Owner: Scheid family
Founded: 1972
Location: Monterey County
Al Scheid first saw untapped potential in Monterey County in 1972 when the wine region was in its infancy. What started as a grape growing operation that sold 100% of its production to other wineries today has evolved into a grapes-to-glass family business that crafts authentic and elegant wines. Our Scheid Family Wines portfolio now includes five unique and distinctive labels: Scheid Vineyards, District 7, Metz Road, VDR and Stokes’ Ghost.
With 12 estate vineyards comprised of 4,000 acres located along a 70-mile spread of the Salinas Valley, the array of microclimates and soils give us an incredible selection to work with each vintage. While our wealth of vineyard resources is exceptional, it is our employees that are at the heart of everything we do. Much of our workforce has been with us for over 25 years, with several of our vineyard managers employed for over 40 years.
The Scheid family – Al, Scott, Heidi and long-time COO Kurt Gollnick – along with our dream team of employees, are passionate about crafting the best wine possible and honoring our commitment to being good stewards of the land and supporters of our local community. We are proud to produce authentic products that sit on your dinner table and invite conversation, connection, and warmth.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2016 Ranch 32 Pinot Noir - $41 = 29.07%
Last week I got a double delivery! A case of Zin I ordered and also a single bottle. I was pleased to be selected as a Lab Rat for the Ranch 32 Pinot Noir. I typically drink reds and Pinot is one of my favorites! When I received the package, I admired the bottle and then put it in the wine fridge to chill it off a bit.
First off, the packaging. It’s a nice heavy bottle, well labeled with a nice cork. I am not familiar with Ranch 32, but at first thought it seemed like an expensive offering.
After a few hours in the fridge it was time for dinner. I have been traveling a lot so dinner was some takeout sushi. I popped the cork from the bottle and let it sit on the counter to air out a bit. I ordered and went to pick up dinner, so by the time I poured my first glass the Pinot had been breathing about an hour.
First pour revealed a light, clear, ruby colored wine. Easily transparent in a Casemates glass.
After a swirl, it was time for a smell and a taste. First sniff and I got a hit of alcohol, then some dried sour cherries, followed by some earthen scents. My thought was that it was pretty hot, the alcohol just sort of hit me in the face.
First taste revealed a very light mouth feel with a slight bite from the alcohol. I tasted some sour cherries and a bit of earth. It tasted just like the first smell. As I enjoyed dinner, I continued to finish the first glass. At the end of the glass, I decided this was a wine that needed a lot of time to breathe, so I put the bottle on the counter.
The next day at lunchtime, I poured another glass. It was pretty similar, sour cherries with some earth tones. I also got a bit of funkiness. Sadly, more time to breathe was not very helpful for this bottle.
I almost felt like I had this wine before. I went into my Casemates history and remembered what it reminded me of. The Harvest Moon Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. That bottle was similar, a thin mouthfeel with a lot of alcohol. It was spicier, and easier to drink. If you enjoyed that bottle, you will like this one.
Unfortunately, despite the beautiful bottle this was not the greatest wine for my palate. Maybe that Stewart Cellars offering from earlier in the year ruined me, because if you enjoy a smoother Pinot with multiple flavors, you may want to pass this one by.
Just my own two cents of course. I’ll be back throughout the day to see what others think.
@GatorFL@rjquillin Pinot actually works decently with sushi…not as good as Riesling or bubbles, mind you, but tasty.
Your description of the wine and comparison to the Harvest Moon don’t jibe for me. For example, I’ve never gotten a hit of alcohol from a HM Pinot. Did you have a particular vintage in mind?
I was excited to learn I was going to be a lab rat! I’ve been wanting to do that since the old wine woot days but never got lucky. So here we go!
I got my bottle of Ranch 32 2016 Pinot Noir from Arroyo Seco and let it rest for a day in the wine fridge. The bottle looks nice, cork closure, and its a more classic label.
I generally prefer more full-bodied reds (I’m a petite sirah fan, largely thanks to WW and this site) and I mostly drink French Rhone wines, either GSM types or more pure syrah from northern Rhone. That saidI enjoy an occasional Pinot Noir, and one of my first ever WW purchases was a Russian River Valley Pinot that I loved.
So, I pulled it out to have with dinner, which was Salmon, baked filet with lemon and tarragon, olive oil, salt and pepper. I had some grilled asparagus and roasted baby red potatoes with that.
The wine:
Color after popping and pouring is a light but vibrant ruby red, transparent in the glass but luscious looking.
The nose initially was hot with alcohol but had obvious berries/fruit. I let it rest for a while on the counter while I made the food. The nose then was less alcohol, continued berries, and a funky/earthy/smoky background, which wasn’t bad.
On the initial taste, I found the wine was very light-bodied. I tend to prefer a Pinot on the fuller end of the Pinot noir spectrum but this was actually appropriate for the 300 degree weather in NYC…
I again tasted berries and some earthiness, and alcohol was obvious. For me the alcohol did fade with time. It paired well with the food, and my overall impression was that I would prefer this with food and not alone.
Overall:
This is a drinkable Pinot noir and if you like lighter bodied Pinot noir this may be for you. That’s not my usual style so I don’t want to speak definitively. That said I expected this to be about a 16 dollar wine, and the casemates price seems like a bargain. If you like this kind of wine and varietal and you need some inexpensive Tuesday food wine this is probably worth a good look!
I will drink more tonight and try to provide a second day update this evening!
Thanks to FedEx, I got my bottle after work today but after spending the weekend tasting Pinot’s in Oregon wine country, I’m primed and ready to go!
I wanted to get my review posted as soon as possible for y’all, so no food pairing yet, just the wine. You get the epitome of first impressions here tonight, folks.
First off, this is pinot has a gorgeous ruby color. I took my glass outside so you could see not only the beautiful red color but also how translucent it is in the glass.
It smells very fruity, like cherries but with a hint of licorice. The taste is very much in line with that. At first, all I could taste was cherry but as it mellows in the glass, I’m getting some earthiness as well. The aftertaste definitely has that licorice I was smelling upon first sniff.
Overall, I would say this pinot is very light and quite easy to drink. Despite not being a Pinot Noir fan (I know, why did I spend all weekend drinking them, then? Well, I live in Oregon, what else am I supposed to do?), I would be glad to have a second glass of this. I think I will enjoy the rest of this bottle with some creamy goat cheese and baguette tonight. At this price point, why not?
Tasting Notes
Silky, layered and fresh, Ranch 32 Pinot Noir from the Arroyo Seco AVA highlights the distinguished characteristics derived from this coveted cool-climate appellation. The grapes thrive in the warm afternoon sun while the vines are refreshed daily by the cold winds from the Monterey Bay.
Our 2016 Pinot Noir delivers delicate aromas of cherries, raspberries, and currants with notes of mocha and vanilla from the French oak. It is medium-bodied and velvety with soft tannins and a long elegant finish.
Food Pairing Notes
This Pinot Noir pairs perfectly with salmon, pork and strong cheeses.
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
On the west side of the Salinas Valley, directly in the path of Monterey’s relentless afternoon winds, sits Ranch 32. This is the place where we first planted vines back in 1972. Ranch 32 is about highlighting the natural characteristics of the terroir and conveying the taste of place. Each vintage, we produce small lots of wines from our sustainably farmed estate vineyards that represent the best of the appellation.
When it comes to wine, place is everything.
Our estate vineyards are within the Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, and Hames Valley AVAs. An AVA (American Viticultural Area), or appellation, is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States that is distinguishable by its geographic features. The finest wines in the world are closely identified with the regions from which they originate. An AVA designation means there are distinctive characteristics of the specific region that set it apart. Ranch 32 highlights the natural characteristics of the terroir and conveys the taste of the place.
Targeted Winemaking
Winemaking starts in the vineyard. Each decision throughout the growing year has an effect on quality and flavor. From the vineyard design to the annual activities of pruning, tying and picking decisions, we exert the highest level of control over every detail.
Our 2016 Pinot Noir grapes come from one of our estate vineyards in the Arroyo Seco AVA of Monterey County. This site is located just south of the Santa Lucia Highlands. The climate is heavily influenced by the cool afternoon winds that sweep down the Salinas Valley each afternoon off of the Monterey Bay. With nutrient-rich shaly loam soils, this is a renowned terroir for both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Upon arrival at the winery, select lots of Pinot Noir grapes were carefully sorted, destemmed, and allowed to cold soak at 50 degrees Fahrenheit to extract color and flavor from the grape skins. The must was then inoculated with select yeast and punched down three times a day at the height of fermentation. The wine was racked clean for aging with 100% French oak for 12 months to add complexity and round out the tannins.
Specifications
Included In The Box
Included In The Box
Price Comparison
$403.82/case (including shipping) at Scheid Family Wines
About The Winery
Winery: Scheid Family Wines
Owner: Scheid family
Founded: 1972
Location: Monterey County
Al Scheid first saw untapped potential in Monterey County in 1972 when the wine region was in its infancy. What started as a grape growing operation that sold 100% of its production to other wineries today has evolved into a grapes-to-glass family business that crafts authentic and elegant wines. Our Scheid Family Wines portfolio now includes five unique and distinctive labels: Scheid Vineyards, District 7, Metz Road, VDR and Stokes’ Ghost.
With 12 estate vineyards comprised of 4,000 acres located along a 70-mile spread of the Salinas Valley, the array of microclimates and soils give us an incredible selection to work with each vintage. While our wealth of vineyard resources is exceptional, it is our employees that are at the heart of everything we do. Much of our workforce has been with us for over 25 years, with several of our vineyard managers employed for over 40 years.
The Scheid family – Al, Scott, Heidi and long-time COO Kurt Gollnick – along with our dream team of employees, are passionate about crafting the best wine possible and honoring our commitment to being good stewards of the land and supporters of our local community. We are proud to produce authentic products that sit on your dinner table and invite conversation, connection, and warmth.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Thursday, August 15th - Monday, August 19th
Ranch 32 Pinot Noir
4 bottles for $46.99 $11.75/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $99.99 $8.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2016 Ranch 32 Pinot Noir Arroyo Seco
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2016 Ranch 32 Pinot Noir - $41 = 29.07%
Rats?
Pinot is so hit and miss for me. I need Rattage…
Last week I got a double delivery! A case of Zin I ordered and also a single bottle. I was pleased to be selected as a Lab Rat for the Ranch 32 Pinot Noir. I typically drink reds and Pinot is one of my favorites! When I received the package, I admired the bottle and then put it in the wine fridge to chill it off a bit.
First off, the packaging. It’s a nice heavy bottle, well labeled with a nice cork. I am not familiar with Ranch 32, but at first thought it seemed like an expensive offering.
After a few hours in the fridge it was time for dinner. I have been traveling a lot so dinner was some takeout sushi. I popped the cork from the bottle and let it sit on the counter to air out a bit. I ordered and went to pick up dinner, so by the time I poured my first glass the Pinot had been breathing about an hour.
First pour revealed a light, clear, ruby colored wine. Easily transparent in a Casemates glass.
After a swirl, it was time for a smell and a taste. First sniff and I got a hit of alcohol, then some dried sour cherries, followed by some earthen scents. My thought was that it was pretty hot, the alcohol just sort of hit me in the face.
First taste revealed a very light mouth feel with a slight bite from the alcohol. I tasted some sour cherries and a bit of earth. It tasted just like the first smell. As I enjoyed dinner, I continued to finish the first glass. At the end of the glass, I decided this was a wine that needed a lot of time to breathe, so I put the bottle on the counter.
The next day at lunchtime, I poured another glass. It was pretty similar, sour cherries with some earth tones. I also got a bit of funkiness. Sadly, more time to breathe was not very helpful for this bottle.
I almost felt like I had this wine before. I went into my Casemates history and remembered what it reminded me of. The Harvest Moon Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. That bottle was similar, a thin mouthfeel with a lot of alcohol. It was spicier, and easier to drink. If you enjoyed that bottle, you will like this one.
Unfortunately, despite the beautiful bottle this was not the greatest wine for my palate. Maybe that Stewart Cellars offering from earlier in the year ruined me, because if you enjoy a smoother Pinot with multiple flavors, you may want to pass this one by.
Just my own two cents of course. I’ll be back throughout the day to see what others think.
Happy Casemating Gang!
@GatorFL Is take out sushi (rolls?) a common PN pairing for you?
@rjquillin No, but after being away with no groceries in the house I had to eat something!
@GatorFL @rjquillin Pinot actually works decently with sushi…not as good as Riesling or bubbles, mind you, but tasty.
Your description of the wine and comparison to the Harvest Moon don’t jibe for me. For example, I’ve never gotten a hit of alcohol from a HM Pinot. Did you have a particular vintage in mind?
@GatorFL @klezman @rjquillin
Speaking of sushi and bubbles, you haven’t lived until you’ve experienced both of those together… in Buffalo… in January.
@GatorFL thanks for the insights! Harvest Moon Pinot Noir is one of my favorites so far. Tempted to go for a case.
Hello!
I was excited to learn I was going to be a lab rat! I’ve been wanting to do that since the old wine woot days but never got lucky. So here we go!
I got my bottle of Ranch 32 2016 Pinot Noir from Arroyo Seco and let it rest for a day in the wine fridge. The bottle looks nice, cork closure, and its a more classic label.
I generally prefer more full-bodied reds (I’m a petite sirah fan, largely thanks to WW and this site) and I mostly drink French Rhone wines, either GSM types or more pure syrah from northern Rhone. That saidI enjoy an occasional Pinot Noir, and one of my first ever WW purchases was a Russian River Valley Pinot that I loved.
So, I pulled it out to have with dinner, which was Salmon, baked filet with lemon and tarragon, olive oil, salt and pepper. I had some grilled asparagus and roasted baby red potatoes with that.
The wine:
Color after popping and pouring is a light but vibrant ruby red, transparent in the glass but luscious looking.
The nose initially was hot with alcohol but had obvious berries/fruit. I let it rest for a while on the counter while I made the food. The nose then was less alcohol, continued berries, and a funky/earthy/smoky background, which wasn’t bad.
On the initial taste, I found the wine was very light-bodied. I tend to prefer a Pinot on the fuller end of the Pinot noir spectrum but this was actually appropriate for the 300 degree weather in NYC…
I again tasted berries and some earthiness, and alcohol was obvious. For me the alcohol did fade with time. It paired well with the food, and my overall impression was that I would prefer this with food and not alone.
Overall:
This is a drinkable Pinot noir and if you like lighter bodied Pinot noir this may be for you. That’s not my usual style so I don’t want to speak definitively. That said I expected this to be about a 16 dollar wine, and the casemates price seems like a bargain. If you like this kind of wine and varietal and you need some inexpensive Tuesday food wine this is probably worth a good look!
I will drink more tonight and try to provide a second day update this evening!
@icarus8 Not too far off my own review. Thanks for your insight!
@icarus8 great Rattage. This sounds like a good EDC wine.
Late lab rat, checking in!
Thanks to FedEx, I got my bottle after work today but after spending the weekend tasting Pinot’s in Oregon wine country, I’m primed and ready to go!
I wanted to get my review posted as soon as possible for y’all, so no food pairing yet, just the wine. You get the epitome of first impressions here tonight, folks.
First off, this is pinot has a gorgeous ruby color. I took my glass outside so you could see not only the beautiful red color but also how translucent it is in the glass.
It smells very fruity, like cherries but with a hint of licorice. The taste is very much in line with that. At first, all I could taste was cherry but as it mellows in the glass, I’m getting some earthiness as well. The aftertaste definitely has that licorice I was smelling upon first sniff.
Overall, I would say this pinot is very light and quite easy to drink. Despite not being a Pinot Noir fan (I know, why did I spend all weekend drinking them, then? Well, I live in Oregon, what else am I supposed to do?), I would be glad to have a second glass of this. I think I will enjoy the rest of this bottle with some creamy goat cheese and baguette tonight. At this price point, why not?
Cheers!
@origamipenguins great insights! Thanks and cheers
Ok, rats convinced me this is a nice lighter summer PN. In for a case for this price point to give it a shot.
/giphy stormy-amusingly-crab