Block 14 - Gravel Force Pinot Noir

Blue Mountain 2018 Block 14 - Gravel Force Pinot Noir

Anthony Gismondi - www.gismondionwine.com (August 2020)

Blue Mountain revamped its pinot noir program in 2017, choosing to add three single vineyard labels that are more like individual blocks. Gravel Force is Block 14, named after the numerous small, round stones mixed into the light clay that spreads over an old, dry river bed. The attack is full and beefy, reflecting the west and south-facing vineyard that gets a hefty sun dose. The thirty-one year old clones that go into the wine are 115 and 667. Like last year, the style is fairly opulent, even muscular, with a prominent earthy, barnyard nose that previews a ripe, black cherry palate with considerable freshness and a long silky finish. It’s amazingly concentrated and long for wine with 13 percent alcohol. It is best served now after a splash decant but will hold through 2025 and beyond. 93 points. 

David Lawrason - www.winealign.com ​ (August 2020)

Of the three single block pinots in Blue Mountain's patchwork of varying altitudes and exposures the 30 year old Block 14 is the warmest and it shows in the riper aromas of strawberry/raspberry, florals and the rounder palate. That said it is still BC pinot - not as ripe and jammy as Oregon or other points farther south. The fruit is expertly appointed with wood spice, vague smoke and herbal notes. I particularly like the silky cohesion here; the tannins seem a bit riper and softer. The fruit has great presence on the palate; the length is excellent to outstanding. Enjoyable now with some aeration, but should age well through 2025. Tasted August 2020. 94 points.

---

Blue Mountain 2017 Block 14 - Gravel Force Pinot Noir

 

David Lawrason - www.winealign.com ​ (May 2020)

In 2017, for the first time Blue Mountain bottled three wines from individual, mature blocks. This is from 30 year old vines with a westerly exposure (catching warmer evening sun) on sandy loam soils over a gravel base. It is quite powerful but not heavy, if that makes sense. It is fairly pale garnet. The nose is a real blast of savoury, smoked herbs, red currant and sour cherry with finely peppered wood spice. It is medium weight, fleshy yet refined, with very concentrated and focused fruit. Really impressive. Excellent to outstanding length. 94 Points.

Treve Ring - www.gismondionwine.com (October 2019)

The 2017 vintage launched Blue Mountain's new Pinot Noir program, consisting of two vineyard blends, and three single-vineyard wines. It's an exciting move for the pinot specialists, one of BC's first and foremost iconic / cult family-owned wineries. Block 14's western and southerly exposure gave it more sun power than other estate sites, and coupled with the site's rocky gravels, loamy sand, and clay, provides the perfect environment for a structural pinot. 30-year-old clone 115 and 667 vines were native fermented over three weeks before moving into new - 4th fill 228L French barrels where it remained until bottling, unfined, in spring 2019. There's a gentle brooding to the darker shaded, muscular fruit. Wild raspberry, cherry, is threaded with light smoke, a hum of stony minerality, and a fine, soft texture. Tannins are as firm as a terse whisper, containing the 13-degree body deftly. Serve this medium red with a slight chill, and a wild mushroom or truffled risotto. 91 Points.

Anthony Gismondi - www.gismondionwine.com (September 2019)

Blue Mountain revamped its nearly thirty-year-old pinot noir program in 2017, choosing to add three single-vineyard labels that are more like individual blocks. Block 14 is labelled Gravel Force in a nod to the numerous small, round stones that are mixed into light clay over an old, dry river bed. It faces west and south, giving it a hefty dose of sun each day, adding structure and even a bit of power to the wine made from 30-year-old clones 115 and 667. The result is a more opulent, muscular style, and a more profound darker brooding fruit style à la Central Otago. The good news is a rift of minerality holds the wine together, never letting it get too far off the line. Did I mention it is only 13 percent alcohol? You can sit on this one for five years, but you can also serve it with a classic mushroom risotto or a Bejing duck dish. 91 Points.