2021 Mendocino Pinot Noir, Lioco - California

The 2021 Lioco Mendocino Pinot Noir hails from Mendocino County in California — a wild-beauty region where coastal fog, redwood forests and river valleys shape a cool-climate terroir, ideal for elegant Pinot Noir. The wine is crafted by Lioco, a winery founded in 2001 by Matt Licklider (now run by him and his wife Sara).For the 2021 vintage, fruit was hand-harvested from a blend of older vines across several Mendocino sites — including a dry-farmed hillside at the headwaters of the Russian River and a coastal vineyard facing the Albion Wind Gap.

Because 2021 was defined by drought, the resulting grapes were especially concentrated — giving the wine depth and richness. On the nose expect aromas of black raspberry, violet flower and pine cone; the palate offers wild coastal berries, lavender and black tea, with hints of forest-floor earthiness. With its bright acidity and graceful structure, this Pinot Noir would shine alongside tempura mushrooms, fried quail or even Peking duck — dishes that echo its subtle savoury and floral notes.