Rafael et Fils Lauren Creek Pinot Noir 2016

The wine is a beautiful red color and slightly opaque. It initially exhibits vibrant aromas of rose petal, violets, fresh strawberry and pie crust. With time, the wine evolves to reveal flavors of wild mushrooms, cedar, rhubarb, and black tea. The wine exudes a bright elegant structure with a medium weight mouthfeel and velvety softness. Fabulous flavors of cherry and tart raspberry seem to linger forever in the finish.

Founder Georg Rafael got into the hotel industry after living in east Berlin, ultimately running the Regent Hotels in Hawaii. After falling in love with the Napa Valley and meeting and befriending such Napa luminaries as Warren Winarski, Georg and his wife Rosie purchased 50 acres of land in 1982 in the southern part of the Valley, on a bench right up against Mt. Veeder in what is now the Oak Knoll district. At the time, the land was being used for cattle grazing.