Elkhorn Peak Pinot Noir Dessert Wine, Napa Valley 375ML
Tasting Notes
Six barrels of Elkhorn Peak 2018 Estate Grown Pinot Noir were selected to begin our first long-term Pinot Noir Dessert Wine program. We started with finished Pinot Noir, added unfermented grape juice and yeast to restart fermentation. Before the wine could ferment dry, we added a neutral spirit to fortify the wine. Afterwards, the wine was racked back into barrel to begin an extended aging. Our objective is to give this wine as much time in barrel as we can, so that it may continue to age and develop. In true “port-style” tradition, we top the barrels with subsequent vintages to promote longevity and complexity on the palate. We bottle 50 cases at a time, based on demand from our customers. The most recent bottling took place in 2024.
Opens with aromas of stewed dark berries, with hints of maple and brown sugar. On the palate, candied cherries, blueberry pie, brown sugar, vanilla, and a hint of spice. Medium body, with medium-to-long, silky smooth finish. Best served at cellar temperature.
Food Pairings: Enjoy stand-alone as an aperitif or pair with aged, pungent cheeses – look for cheeses that are salty, nutty, and intense to counterbalance the sweetness in this wine. Or try pouring this wine over chocolate ice cream for a fun, boozy dessert.
Owner/Winemaker Elise Nerlove was awarded the 2025 Wine Industry Leader Award by Wine Business Monthly for her work to advocate for the rights of small-scale farmers in Napa Valley. https://www.winebusiness.com/wbm/article/309433
Specs
Composition: Elkhorn Peak Estate Grown Pinot Noir, a blend of multiple vintages beginning with 2018.
At Elkhorn Peak Cellars, everything begins at home. Our vineyard sits at the heart of a 28-acre organic farm in south Napa Valley, part of a working homestead our family has been building with love since 1983. We farm the old-fashioned way: by hand, with heart, and always with the future in mind. Our commitment to organic practices and biodiversity helps keep our soil, vines, and surrounding ecosystem healthy.
We’re a small, family-run operation—grown slowly and sustainably, without corporate influence. We built this business from the ground up, reinvesting season after season, guided by a deep respect for the land and a dedication to our craft. Every decision—from pruning to bottling—is made with care, intention, and pride in doing things the right way. Ken Nerlove, Founder/Grower, works alongside his daughter, Elise Nerlove, and a tight-knit crew of family and friends to run Elkhorn Peak Cellars.
We produce fewer than 1,000 cases a year and sell exclusively through our website and Wine Club to people who value authenticity, craftsmanship, and connection.
At Elkhorn Peak, we’re not just growing grapes—we’re growing a way of life that honors the land, feeds the community, and stands proudly apart from the corporate wine machine. We’re proud to stand with a small but mighty community of independent farmers who believe wine should be personal, not corporate.
Available States
AL, 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
Ah Casemates, we have missed you. And you sent us a gorgeous almost port-like dessert wine to make it up to us; We thank you and we forgive you. Happy End of Year Holiday Season!
This was a beautiful treat on an early winter’s night. Velvet complexity across the tongue. Very fruit and oak forward, smooth almost buttery finish that lingers on your palate. The wine is much more Pinot than sweet. We tested at the room temperature, but left it to breathe and cool to a cellar-similar temperature (thank you incoming polar vortex and our porch). Great bouquet at both temperatures.
At both temperatures you can definitely feel the fruits - berries and bletted stone fruits. Just lovely. It doesn’t need anything to go with it, you can just sip this one, and let the dolce do the work.
It would definitely pair well with a simple sweet, but also a good strong cheese (we didn’t have any of the latter, but you can imagine it) or a dark chocolate. We tried it with frozen chocolate covered banana slices and some fresh raspberries. We also had some mixed nuts (’tis the season!) and cheesiness aside, we really enjoyed the complexity and the just darn good flavors of the wine without the snacks.
You don’t have to like a Pinot to enjoy this one, but it does help if you like a good port. Wow, Is it that obvious that we really enjoyed this bottle? I don’t think either of us had any complaints.
Such a wonderful and thoughtful way for Casemates to spoil us at the end of 2025. Thank you, and happy to order this one as they DO deliver to our area!
@ElkhornPeak
I see a Cellar Tracker user thinks this should be consumed by 2022. How many releases have you had and how do you think this will hold up in a proper cellar?
@rjquillin I periodically open bottles from 2018, our first year, and they’re still tasting quite fresh! I went looking for this cellartracker review with a consume by date of 2022 and can’t find it. It may be a review from our first dessert wine project, which was actually a muscat blend. That wine was made in 2010 (I think!).
@rjquillin thank you for sharing this link! I’m not seeing a ‘consume by’ date for the 2022 on my end. In any case, this wine is fortified, so it has a very long aging window. Our 2018 is still showing beautifully fresh, and based on that, I’m confident you’ll be able to enjoy this wine for at least the next 10-15 years. This casemates offer was bottled in 2024, and is a blend of vintages 2018-2023.
@ElkhornPeak@rjquillin wait 1 random/unknown CT user puts a drink date on CT and no note to back it up and that’s a talking point?? Sorry I just don’t get it?
@ElkhornPeak@rjquillin@ScottW58 I’m crabby from driving the last few days so I’ll pile on…first of all I’m not really a CT fan, do I use it a bit and reference it, yes, but grain of salt. Secondly I hide all notes without scores, thirdly ummmm if bottled in 2024 I’d say drink by 2022 would be a bit difficult so can we just move on? (well probably could if I just shut the heck up…ha!)
@ElkhornPeak@Mark_L@rjquillin@ScottW58 exactly…plus CT uses some crazy algorithms to provide drinking windows, which are obviously not always accurate. Drinking windows are not just a result of user data, and in this case there are no community notes anyway. Plus plus there is another CT entry for this 2024 bottling, with no drinking window and also no community notes. Can we move on now?
@ElkhornPeak@kaolis@Mark_L@ScottW58
My intent here for posting this at all was to point out how various bottling dates for NV wines provides poor data in both CT reviews/comments and drink-by data; and can become especially skewed for low volume entries.
<sheeze>
Hello Casemates, it’s so nice to be back with my second offer!
This fortified Pinot Noir project began back in 2018, and each year we top it with the new vintage in true port style. It’s become a beautiful tradition for us.
One thing I wanted to mention is the viscosity of the wine. When I set out to make this, I was determined that it not be syrupy. Thick dessert wines are hard for me to drink, too laborious. I wanted to create a medium-bodied, smooth-textured wine that stayed true to the character of Pinot Noir. I’m thrilled to say we achieved exactly that, and as the lab report shows, it’s also not overly sweet.
A bit about the vineyard: we farm an 8-acre fully organic Pinot Noir vineyard in the south end of the Napa Valley (just east of Carneros). My dad planted it back in 1983, and together we run a micro-winery called Elkhorn Peak Cellars. Annual production is about 1,000 cases TOTAL, this dessert wine is about 100 cases. Our winemaker for decades was Kent Rasmussen, who I know has many fans here. He has made much of his Pinot Noir from our vineyard site, he and my dad are longtime friends. He was also my winemaking mentor and taught me so much about winemaking.
This is a wonderful wine to enjoy this time of year, something a little different from the big, heavy reds or the acid-driven sparklers that usually take center stage. And at 18.6% ABV, it will absolutely make you jolly! Thank you for the leap of faith and for letting us share these small-batch projects with you. Wishing all of you a wonderful holiday season.
And for the record: this 375 mL bottle fits perfectly in a stocking. I’ll be popping in all day to chat and answer questions, so please don’t be shy!
-Elise Nerlove, Winemaker at Elkhorn Peak Cellars.
@ElkhornPeak Great to see the vintner participation here! I’m overloaded with dessert wines right now (blame my too-low consumption rate), but this sure sounds like a goodie.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
NV Elkhorn Peak Pinot Noir Dessert Wine - $48 = 21.05%
Elise! Great to see you back!
Is this the same dessert wine we tried and bought a bottle of when we visited in the summer?
Also, your dad’s hobby had gotten a lot of discussion with our friends. People are loving the photos of the vintage machines!
@klezman so nice to be back and so nice to hear from you! This Pinot Noir Dessert Wine is a new bottling. The one you tried was bottled in 2022, it contains vintages 2018-2021. This one was bottled in 2024, and contains the 2022 and 2023 vintages of Pinot as well. It’s a very similar wine, but I actually think this new vintage has a bit lighter, brighter and smoother body to it, but nose and palate are very similar. I hope you guys have a wonderful holiday!
SHEEEEEEEESH this is so yum. Yasse casemates! Slay.
I went into this one curious because Pinot Noir is not a grape I usually associate with dessert wine. This ended up surprising me in the best way. The flavor sits in a cool sweet spot between Port richness and Pinot brightness, with an almost ice wine style lift on the finish. It is not sugary or syrupy, more of a silky sweetness that still keeps some structure.
The nose is giving dark berry with a little vanilla. On the palate it feels like concentrated Pinot fruit but without the heaviness a true Port can have. It is overwhelming but not overwhelming at the same time, which makes it awesome and slightly dangerous. You could chug it because it does not drink like a typical dessert wine, but you also cannot because it is 18 percent and it is definitely a dessert wine. It feels like a hybrid in all the best ways.
The texture is lush but not cloying. I kept getting that clean, almost cold climate dessert wine vibe even though this is clearly its own thing.
I do not have deep dessert wine expertise, but I really enjoyed this. It feels like a great crossover bottle for people who love Port and people who normally prefer lighter reds. Very fun, very drinkable, and honestly unlike anything I have had in this category.
Elkhorn Peak Pinot Noir Dessert Wine, Napa Valley 375ML
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$309.96/Case for 12x Elkhorn Peak Pinot Noir Dessert Wine, Napa Valley 375ML at Elkhorn Peak Cellars
About The Winery
Available States
AL, 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, Dec 29 - Friday, Jan 2
NV Elkhorn Peak Pinot Noir Dessert Wine
4 bottles for $75.99 $19/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $179.99 $15/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Elkhorn Peak Desert Pinot Noir
Ah Casemates, we have missed you. And you sent us a gorgeous almost port-like dessert wine to make it up to us; We thank you and we forgive you. Happy End of Year Holiday Season!
This was a beautiful treat on an early winter’s night. Velvet complexity across the tongue. Very fruit and oak forward, smooth almost buttery finish that lingers on your palate. The wine is much more Pinot than sweet. We tested at the room temperature, but left it to breathe and cool to a cellar-similar temperature (thank you incoming polar vortex and our porch). Great bouquet at both temperatures.
At both temperatures you can definitely feel the fruits - berries and bletted stone fruits. Just lovely. It doesn’t need anything to go with it, you can just sip this one, and let the dolce do the work.
It would definitely pair well with a simple sweet, but also a good strong cheese (we didn’t have any of the latter, but you can imagine it) or a dark chocolate. We tried it with frozen chocolate covered banana slices and some fresh raspberries. We also had some mixed nuts (’tis the season!) and cheesiness aside, we really enjoyed the complexity and the just darn good flavors of the wine without the snacks.
You don’t have to like a Pinot to enjoy this one, but it does help if you like a good port. Wow, Is it that obvious that we really enjoyed this bottle? I don’t think either of us had any complaints.
Such a wonderful and thoughtful way for Casemates to spoil us at the end of 2025. Thank you, and happy to order this one as they DO deliver to our area!
@imshadow22
wow, thank you so much for this beautiful review of the wine! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it. Happy Holidays!
@ElkhornPeak
I see a Cellar Tracker user thinks this should be consumed by 2022. How many releases have you had and how do you think this will hold up in a proper cellar?
@rjquillin I periodically open bottles from 2018, our first year, and they’re still tasting quite fresh! I went looking for this cellartracker review with a consume by date of 2022 and can’t find it. It may be a review from our first dessert wine project, which was actually a muscat blend. That wine was made in 2010 (I think!).
@ElkhornPeak
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4148194
@rjquillin thank you for sharing this link! I’m not seeing a ‘consume by’ date for the 2022 on my end. In any case, this wine is fortified, so it has a very long aging window. Our 2018 is still showing beautifully fresh, and based on that, I’m confident you’ll be able to enjoy this wine for at least the next 10-15 years. This casemates offer was bottled in 2024, and is a blend of vintages 2018-2023.
@ElkhornPeak
@ElkhornPeak @rjquillin wait 1 random/unknown CT user puts a drink date on CT and no note to back it up and that’s a talking point?? Sorry I just don’t get it?
@rjquillin @ScottW58 haha I don’t get it either!
@ElkhornPeak @rjquillin @ScottW58 I’m crabby from driving the last few days so I’ll pile on…first of all I’m not really a CT fan, do I use it a bit and reference it, yes, but grain of salt. Secondly I hide all notes without scores, thirdly ummmm if bottled in 2024 I’d say drink by 2022 would be a bit difficult so can we just move on? (well probably could if I just shut the heck up…ha!)
@ElkhornPeak @kaolis @rjquillin @ScottW58 Makes me think of …
@ElkhornPeak @Mark_L @rjquillin @ScottW58 exactly…plus CT uses some crazy algorithms to provide drinking windows, which are obviously not always accurate. Drinking windows are not just a result of user data, and in this case there are no community notes anyway. Plus plus there is another CT entry for this 2024 bottling, with no drinking window and also no community notes. Can we move on now?
@ElkhornPeak @kaolis @Mark_L @ScottW58
My intent here for posting this at all was to point out how various bottling dates for NV wines provides poor data in both CT reviews/comments and drink-by data; and can become especially skewed for low volume entries.
<sheeze>
@ElkhornPeak
Thanks for those additional insights as to the composition, and your thoughts on longevity.
@ElkhornPeak @kaolis @Mark_L @rjquillin @ScottW58 whatever you think of drink by dates for most wines on CT, they are totally meaningless for non vintage wines.
Hello Casemates, it’s so nice to be back with my second offer!
This fortified Pinot Noir project began back in 2018, and each year we top it with the new vintage in true port style. It’s become a beautiful tradition for us.
One thing I wanted to mention is the viscosity of the wine. When I set out to make this, I was determined that it not be syrupy. Thick dessert wines are hard for me to drink, too laborious. I wanted to create a medium-bodied, smooth-textured wine that stayed true to the character of Pinot Noir. I’m thrilled to say we achieved exactly that, and as the lab report shows, it’s also not overly sweet.
A bit about the vineyard: we farm an 8-acre fully organic Pinot Noir vineyard in the south end of the Napa Valley (just east of Carneros). My dad planted it back in 1983, and together we run a micro-winery called Elkhorn Peak Cellars. Annual production is about 1,000 cases TOTAL, this dessert wine is about 100 cases. Our winemaker for decades was Kent Rasmussen, who I know has many fans here. He has made much of his Pinot Noir from our vineyard site, he and my dad are longtime friends. He was also my winemaking mentor and taught me so much about winemaking.
This is a wonderful wine to enjoy this time of year, something a little different from the big, heavy reds or the acid-driven sparklers that usually take center stage. And at 18.6% ABV, it will absolutely make you jolly! Thank you for the leap of faith and for letting us share these small-batch projects with you. Wishing all of you a wonderful holiday season.
And for the record: this 375 mL bottle fits perfectly in a stocking.
I’ll be popping in all day to chat and answer questions, so please don’t be shy!
-Elise Nerlove, Winemaker at Elkhorn Peak Cellars.
@ElkhornPeak thank you for not making this syrupy!
@ElkhornPeak Great to see the vintner participation here! I’m overloaded with dessert wines right now (blame my too-low consumption rate), but this sure sounds like a goodie.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
NV Elkhorn Peak Pinot Noir Dessert Wine - $48 = 21.05%
I enjoy the Elkhorn Pinot that was previously offered here and I do like a good port! Based on the rat, I’m thinking this is a must-buy.
In for a case. This reminds me that I don’t drink enough port.
/giphy flashy-thoughtful-chimes
@TimW thank you and enjoy!
Elise! Great to see you back!
Is this the same dessert wine we tried and bought a bottle of when we visited in the summer?
Also, your dad’s hobby had gotten a lot of discussion with our friends. People are loving the photos of the vintage machines!
@klezman so nice to be back and so nice to hear from you! This Pinot Noir Dessert Wine is a new bottling. The one you tried was bottled in 2022, it contains vintages 2018-2021. This one was bottled in 2024, and contains the 2022 and 2023 vintages of Pinot as well. It’s a very similar wine, but I actually think this new vintage has a bit lighter, brighter and smoother body to it, but nose and palate are very similar. I hope you guys have a wonderful holiday!
SHEEEEEEEESH this is so yum. Yasse casemates! Slay.
I went into this one curious because Pinot Noir is not a grape I usually associate with dessert wine. This ended up surprising me in the best way. The flavor sits in a cool sweet spot between Port richness and Pinot brightness, with an almost ice wine style lift on the finish. It is not sugary or syrupy, more of a silky sweetness that still keeps some structure.
The nose is giving dark berry with a little vanilla. On the palate it feels like concentrated Pinot fruit but without the heaviness a true Port can have. It is overwhelming but not overwhelming at the same time, which makes it awesome and slightly dangerous. You could chug it because it does not drink like a typical dessert wine, but you also cannot because it is 18 percent and it is definitely a dessert wine. It feels like a hybrid in all the best ways.
The texture is lush but not cloying. I kept getting that clean, almost cold climate dessert wine vibe even though this is clearly its own thing.
I do not have deep dessert wine expertise, but I really enjoyed this. It feels like a great crossover bottle for people who love Port and people who normally prefer lighter reds. Very fun, very drinkable, and honestly unlike anything I have had in this category.
WORKER BEES! HERCULES! TURKEY GREASE! AWESOME!
@connorbush
so happy to read this, thank you!
If somebody in our SoCal neighbourhood or looking to get rid of a few I might be able to convince molarchae we should make room. LMK