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.
Tastings 5/9/2024
88 Points
Silver Medal
Highly Recommended. Dusty ruby color. Aromas and flavors of black cherry, cocoa, kola nut, and leather and forest floor with a round, crisp, dry medium body and a warming, stimulating, medium-long finish that exhibits overtones of baking spices, black berry, bitter chocolate, and black tea leaves with chewy, chalky, woody tannins and light oak flavor. A big, rich, and opulent Pinot Noir, exactly as you would expect for the region.
Enthusiast:
87 points. Super structured, this tight and moderately tannic wine needs time to come around. Cranberries, red cherries and hints of cinnamon ride a nervy, acidic mouthfeel that will cut through the richest of bird and beast dishes. Best from 2027. — Jim Gordon 7/1/23
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2020 Lobo Wines Napa Valley Pinot Noir - $55 = 22.91%
Thank you Alice for my birthday lab rat! We received a bottle of 2020 Lobo Pinot Noir. The bottle arrived on Wednesday. We planned on letting it rest and chill until Saturday evening. My wife decided to make her grandmother’s beef braciole recipe.
We opened the bottle and paired it with a cheese and meat plate. The color was a beautiful garnet and the nose greeted us with baking spices and red fruit. The wine paired well with the cheese, dry with a beautiful mouth feel.
We served the dinner, beef in a red sauce. This wine had opened up nicely and was beautiful with the beef. We tasted black cherry, dark chocolate and tobacco.
We saved a glass for dessert, tiramisu, the original baking spices came through along with the original dark chocolate. This was a beautiful bottle of wine to have for my birthday and to pair with a traditional Italian family recipe! We highly recommend this wine.
Wow…I am a big fan of the Lobo wines and currently have three of their 2021 Atlas Peak Cabernet left over from a case I bought late last year. I am a big fan of this producer. Unfortunately, I have two other Casemates orders I’m waiting to be delivered or I would definitely hit this up.
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!
@mandoo500 where are you that you used Dino BBQ? (always looking for someone close to split with THAT’s why I ask)
@fgfljsb @mandoo500 Syracuse, here.
/giphy wireless-vivacious-bulb
Tastings 5/9/2024
88 Points
Silver Medal
Highly Recommended. Dusty ruby color. Aromas and flavors of black cherry, cocoa, kola nut, and leather and forest floor with a round, crisp, dry medium body and a warming, stimulating, medium-long finish that exhibits overtones of baking spices, black berry, bitter chocolate, and black tea leaves with chewy, chalky, woody tannins and light oak flavor. A big, rich, and opulent Pinot Noir, exactly as you would expect for the region.
Enthusiast:
87 points. Super structured, this tight and moderately tannic wine needs time to come around. Cranberries, red cherries and hints of cinnamon ride a nervy, acidic mouthfeel that will cut through the richest of bird and beast dishes. Best from 2027. — Jim Gordon 7/1/23
fwiw
@kaolis “beast” dishes?
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2020 Lobo Wines Napa Valley Pinot Noir - $55 = 22.91%
Thank you Alice for my birthday lab rat! We received a bottle of 2020 Lobo Pinot Noir. The bottle arrived on Wednesday. We planned on letting it rest and chill until Saturday evening. My wife decided to make her grandmother’s beef braciole recipe.
We opened the bottle and paired it with a cheese and meat plate. The color was a beautiful garnet and the nose greeted us with baking spices and red fruit. The wine paired well with the cheese, dry with a beautiful mouth feel.
We served the dinner, beef in a red sauce. This wine had opened up nicely and was beautiful with the beef. We tasted black cherry, dark chocolate and tobacco.
We saved a glass for dessert, tiramisu, the original baking spices came through along with the original dark chocolate. This was a beautiful bottle of wine to have for my birthday and to pair with a traditional Italian family recipe! We highly recommend this wine.
Wow…I am a big fan of the Lobo wines and currently have three of their 2021 Atlas Peak Cabernet left over from a case I bought late last year. I am a big fan of this producer. Unfortunately, I have two other Casemates orders I’m waiting to be delivered or I would definitely hit this up.
An artisan Pinot from Napa sounds right up my alley
anyone interested in a share - So. NH/Boston area?
I have a friend who is an enabler. So here we are
/giphy baleful-real-carbon
