Brittan Pinot Noir Cygnus Block 2018

With over 40 years of experience growing grapes and making wine, Robert Brittan brings a significant amount of viticultural and winemaking knowledge to Brittan Vineyards. He has always had a passion for Pinot Noir, and hopes that with the fruit from the Brittan estate vineyard in the foothills of the Coastal Range, he can bring a new voice to the McMinnville AVA, and help form the style and definition of Pinot Noir from this recently designated winegrowing region.

Always brimming with sweet red fruits, the Cygnus shows red plum, red cherry and even a hint of strawberry. The ample fruit is supported by a judicious use of oak, lending just a hint of vanilla and baking spices to the nose. As with all Cygnus Block Pinots, this vintage expresses a wonderful clarity of fruit and site.

97 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

The 2018 Pinot Noir Cygnus Block has a gorgeous, earthy expression! It features elegantly degraded scents of sour cherries, Italian plums, truffle, tobacco and savory herbs. The medium-bodied palate’s intense core of ripe red fruit is enlivened by bursts of refreshing acidity and supported by finely grainy tannins, and it has a hauntingly long, savory finish. It’s in a beautiful spot for drinking, although it will continue to gain savory complexity over the next decade or more.

94 Points – Wine Enthusiast

Complex from the get-go, this marries brambly red fruits to light streaks of caramel, toasted hazelnuts and buttery toast. It’s made from the unusual Swan clone, a California import that dates from the 1800s. Robert Brittan planted three acres of it in 2008 at his estate vineyard. The flavors are unique and persistent, with underlying minerality and lovely texture. One-quarter was aged in new French oak.