Alpha Estate Florina Pinot Noir Ecosystem Single Block Strofi 2021
- wa90
Category | Red Wine |
Varietal | |
Brand | Alpha Estate |
Origin | Greece, Macedonia |
Wine Advocate
- wa90
The 2021 Pinot Noir Ecosystem Strofi Single Block was aged for 12 months in new French barriques and comes in at 14.48% alcohol. Alpha Estate has a stable of international grapes that it usually handles beautifully. The Pinot Noir has been my least favorite in most years, but it has been rounding into form. Alpha tends to keep plugging away until it is consistently excellent. This is a beauty. It has all the sensibilities that Pinot lovers who lean toward Burgundy will want, including an elegant mid-palate, silky texture and dry flavors on the finish. This has ripe fruit, but it never seems too much or even a little intrusive. It folds into the whole perfectly, making it serious and understated. The ripe tannins make it accessible. If you're looking for some candied concoction, that's not this. The remaining question with this (and the brand) is how it might age. It is at a price point that includes an expectation that it will develop and get better, even though it is quite approachable today. As yet, we don't have a long track record. Let's start here and see where it goes, but this somewhat subtle red does have the opportunity to improve over the next few years. It should hold at least another decade. Still, if this has a remaining question, it is the ability to age and develop.