William Knuttel "Touché" Pinot Noir 2023
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With a long and graceful palate of cranberry, pomegranate and black tea, this Napa Valley Pinot Noir will remind you of a fencer who moves with ease and precision—which is exactly what winemaker Bill Knuttel had in mind when he created it.
Wine Details
- Red - Full Bodied
- United States
- Pinot Noir
- 13.9% ABV
- November 1, 2029
Flavor Profile
Wine Flavor Profile
Touché Napa Pinot Noir is a dry, medium-bodied red wine. It wafts aromas of wild raspberry, red cherry and rose petal layered with sandalwood, and offers a lengthy palate of cranberry, pomegranate, black tea and minerality.Wine Food Pairings
Salmon, tuna steak, roast chicken or duck, burgers, barbecue, charcuterie, mushrooms, soft and creamy cheeses.Beyond the Label
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.
