Description
l'Usine is the brainchild of David Phinney of Orin Swift fame. Wanting to exploit some superb vineyard plots planted with Pinot Noir, he based each one off the picture on the front of the bottle. The expressions of the models and the way the picture is shot is meant to reflect something that he saw in the wine. The nature of this subject/object trickery; combined with the juxtaposition of the bottle informing the wine (rather than vice-versa) is typical Phinney: auteur, driven, splendid. And luckily enough - the wines are more than good enough to support such a high-profile, elegant design.
"Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, the 2018 Pinot Noir needs a little coaxing to unlock notes of raspberry leaves, Bing cherries and mulberries with touches of wild sage, mossy tree bark and wild fungi. Medium to full-bodied, the palate explodes with the most beautiful perfume, framed by very fine-grained tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long and fragrant. 1,474 cases were made." Lisa Perrotti-Brown, 94 Points, 2021-2035