Martin’s Lane 2020 Vineyard Pinot Noir Set 750ml

2020 Dehart Vineyard Pinot Noir - 2020 Simes Vineyard Pinot Noir - 2020 Naramata Ranch Vineyard Pinot Noir

Traditionally the most elegant pinot made at Martin’s Lane, Dehart Vineyard in East Kelowna, was 12 years old as of 2020, perhaps the best growing year ever in the north Okanagan. The site faces due west just above Okanagan Lake and is planted to clone 777 and a smaller amount of 667, co-fermented in concrete with 60 percent whole bunches, over one month. Winemaker Shane Munn keeps it gentle, beginning with all those bunches that help him manage the tannins, keeping them textural but not structural. You can expect a mix of earthy floral red blossoms and intense spice, followed by red fruit. One points to the quality of light in the vineyard that gives this wine a special film. Fresh and spicy, and while you can drink it now, it is going to age well in the bottle. Note the mouth-filling, silky palate, length and refinement in this certified organic pinot that comes in barely over 13.2 percent alcohol.

Score: 93 points -- Anthony Gismondi, gismondionwine, 2023

Despite coming off a cooler, steep, north-facing vineyard in East Kelowna, Simes Vineyard is the darkest of all the Martin’s Lane pinots. The soils are granite-based over fine silt, and sit only a few kilometres south of the 50°N mark. Two exceptional parcels go into this label, whose northern aspect adds a rare distinction to a site that remains cool even as climate change is warming up the world. There are three blocks within the vineyard and a mix of clones: 943, 667, 777, 114, and 115, but in 2020, only the 667 and 943 made it to the finished wine. Simes is fermented wild using 70 percent whole bunches for 28 days before spending 17 months in extra tight grain Austrian and French oak. The style is dense, with a vivid profile of black spicy fruit reminiscent of Central Otago. The high percentage of whole bunches is the secret sauce that gives this pinot a silky palate, which changes the narrative of this wine. That is more about finesse and bright acid than big flavours. The vineyard has been certified organic since the 2020 vintage.

Score: 93 points -- Anthony Gismondi, gismondionwine.com, 2023

Tasted initially in October 2023, this pinot is now in a more developed stage. Its nose remains perfumed but has matured, with notes of earth, mushrooms, minerals, and wet stones. The rich black cherry and licorice are giving way to its earthy, mineral side, creating a long, persistent red. Certified organic with a fresh 12.7%, this wine can be enjoyed now or cellared until 2028. The first Naramata Ranch pinot vines were planted in the early 2000s, followed by several more blocks added at different elevations and expositions over the next decade. It is an amazing mix of sites and mesoclimates, depending on the exposition and proximity to Okanagan Lake. Four clones are in the ground: Pommard, 943, 828, and 667. Two distinct vineyard parcels collide at 49.67˚N, combining Dijon clones 667 and 943, revealing a geologically diverse universe at the northern end of the Naramata Bench as the land rises into the mountainside.

Score: 96 points -- Anthony Gismondi, gismondionwine.com, 2025