William Knuttel "Touché" Pinot Noir 2023
Wine Details
- Red - Medium to Full Bodied
- Fine wine
United States- Pinot Noir
- 13.9% ABV
- 750 ml
- 01 November 2029
Flavor Profile
After opening with lifted aromas of wild raspberry, cherry and rose petal, Touché Napa Pinot Noir pours a silky soft palate layered with red fruits. It’ll glide across your tastebuds, just as a skilled fencer moves seamlessly during bouts.
The similarity is no coincidence: The nimble footwork of a fencer—and the tricky feat of capturing them on camera—is exactly what inspired winemaker William “Bill” Knuttel to create the wine. (Hence the label, which shows a 1890s chronophotograph, an early attempt to capture movement on film, featuring a fencer.)
Working with grapes from well-drained gravelly loam soils just off the Napa River, Bill destemmed the fruit and fermented the wine in small vessels, allowing him more precise control during the course of production. Once dry, it was transferred quickly to fine French barrels, where it aged 22 long and restful months.
The result is absolutely stunning, with satin-like flavors of cranberry and pomegranate balanced by notes of black tea and minerality. It’d be excellent alongside pork tenderloin, salmon or any other classic Pinot pairing, or with Bill’s favorite dish: wild mushroom pizza.
After opening with lifted aromas of wild raspberry, cherry and rose petal, Touché Napa Pinot Noir pours a silky soft palate layered with red fruits. It’ll glide across your tastebuds, just as a skilled fencer moves seamlessly during bouts.
The similarity is no coincidence: The nimble footwork of a fencer—and the tricky feat of capturing them on camera—is exactly what inspired winemaker William “Bill” Knuttel to create the wine. (Hence the label, which shows a 1890s chronophotograph, an early attempt to capture movement on film, featuring a fencer.)
Working with grapes from well-drained gravelly loam soils just off the Napa River, Bill destemmed the fruit and fermented the wine in small vessels, allowing him more precise control during the course of production. Once dry, it was transferred quickly to fine French barrels, where it aged 22 long and restful months.
The result is absolutely stunning, with satin-like flavors of cranberry and pomegranate balanced by notes of black tea and minerality. It’d be excellent alongside pork tenderloin, salmon or any other classic Pinot pairing, or with Bill’s favorite dish: wild mushroom pizza.
Wine Enthusiast
on Napa Pinot
