Gehricke Los Carneros Pinot Noir 2013

Gehricke Los Carneros Pinot Noir 2013 is a 750ml, 100% Pinot Noir from California's Los Carneros AVA, rated 88 points by Wine Enthusiast. This wine represents the inaugural prestige label from The Other Guys (TOG), the wine venture led by August Sebastiani, and was crafted by winemaker Alex Beloz from exceptional Carneros fruit sourced during a particularly generous growing season.

Quick Facts: ABV: ~14–14.8%  |  Origin: Los Carneros, California  |  Vintage: 2013  |  Producer: Gehricke / The Other Guys (TOG)

Production & Heritage

Gehricke was launched as a prestige-tier project within The Other Guys, a portfolio founded by August Sebastiani — a name with deep roots in Sonoma County winemaking. The 2013 vintage arrived on the heels of the bountiful 2012 harvest, when a supply of top-quality Carneros Pinot Noir grapes became available, prompting the team to create this label. Winemaker Alex Beloz focused on selecting fruit from premier Los Carneros vineyards, a cool-climate appellation straddling southern Sonoma and Napa counties known for producing Pinot Noir with bright acidity and layered complexity. Oak aging contributes structure without overwhelming the varietal character.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Translucent, bright crimson in the glass, the nose opens with ripe red fruit — primarily raspberry and strawberry — before shifting into smoky earth undertones, meaty leather, and a fleeting trace of white pepper. There is a subtle undercurrent of forest floor that deepens with time in the glass.

Taste: A velvety entry gives way to explosive mid-palate flavors of juicy raspberries and strawberries woven with cocoa powder and a tinge of anise. The wine carries noticeable weight, with truffled earth, savory herb, and black tea adding a rustic, savory dimension. Well-integrated oak provides appreciable spice and structural backbone without dominating the fruit.

Finish: The finish is firm and moderately long, closing on notes of cranberry, dark cherry, and lingering spice. A final earthy undertone rounds out the experience with a dry, savory resolution.

How to Drink Gehricke Pinot Noir

Serve at 58–62°F in a wide-bowled Burgundy glass to let the aromatic complexity open up; this Pinot rewards a slight chill and a few minutes of air. It drinks well on its own as a contemplative pour.

• Classic Burgundy-style pairing: Roast duck breast — the wine's earthy truffle notes and bright acidity mirror the richness of duck beautifully.
• Pinot Noir Sangria: The ripe berry core holds up to fresh fruit, citrus, and a splash of brandy for a refreshing warm-weather serve.
• Red wine reduction sauce: The cocoa and anise undertones add savory depth when reduced with shallots and stock for a pan sauce.

Best For

• Exploring cool-climate California Pinot Noir beyond the usual Sonoma Coast labels
• Dinner parties featuring roasted poultry or mushroom-forward dishes
• Gifting a Pinot Noir enthusiast curious about Carneros terroir
• Building a small cellar of value-driven, critic-recognized California reds

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Gehricke Pinot Noir taste like? It leads with bright raspberry and strawberry fruit layered over cocoa powder, anise, and earthy truffle, with a velvety texture and savory herb and black tea complexity on the mid-palate. The finish resolves in cranberry, dark cherry, and integrated oak spice.

How does Gehricke Pinot Noir compare to Acacia Vineyard Carneros Pinot Noir? Both draw fruit from the Los Carneros AVA and share a cool-climate profile of bright acidity and red-fruit intensity. Acacia, a historic Carneros pioneer established in 1979, tends toward a richer, more concentrated style, while the Gehricke leans into earthy, savory rusticity with prominent forest-floor and truffle notes.

Is Gehricke Pinot Noir good for sipping neat? Yes — its layered aromatics, velvety mouthfeel, and savory complexity make it a rewarding glass to sip on its own, especially served slightly cool around 60°F in a large-bowled glass.

Where is Gehricke Pinot Noir made? The grapes are sourced from the Los Carneros American Viticultural Area, a cool-climate appellation at the southern end of both Sonoma and Napa counties in California. The wine is produced under The Other Guys label, founded by August Sebastiani's team.

What foods pair well with Gehricke Pinot Noir? Roast duck or quail, which echo the wine's earthy depth; wild mushroom risotto, which mirrors its truffle and forest-floor character; grilled salmon, whose richness is cut by the wine's acidity; aged Gruyère, which complements the cocoa and spice; and charcuterie featuring cured meats that match its savory, leathery nuances.

What sizes does Gehricke Pinot Noir come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle; no other format sizes have been widely documented for this label.

Is Gehricke Pinot Noir worth the price? Gehricke positions itself as a premium Carneros Pinot Noir at a mid-tier price point, and the 88-point Wine Enthusiast score for the 2013 vintage supports its standing as a quality-to-value proposition within a competitive appellation.

Why Gehricke Pinot Noir?

The 2013 vintage holds historical significance as the wine that launched Gehricke as a prestige label for The Other Guys — a project born specifically because the quality of available Carneros Pinot Noir fruit was too good to pass up. Its 88-point Wine Enthusiast rating validates the ambition behind that decision. The combination of bright, explosive berry fruit with a pronounced earthy, truffle-laced backbone gives this wine a distinctly Old World savory streak uncommon at its price tier. For drinkers who want Carneros character with genuine complexity rather than polished simplicity, this bottling delivers.