HomeWine United States Calera Wine Company Calera Pinot Noir ‘Mills Vineyard’ 2016
(81 customer reviews)

Calera Pinot Noir ‘Mills Vineyard’ 2016

$69.95
PRICE CLUB members save $14 per bottle
14.50% /
750ml /
Vintage: 2016
  • WE 93
  • WA 92
  • TP 94
  • VIN 91
  • WAS 94
  • WIL 93
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Calera’s Mt. Harlan Vineyards are located in the Gavilan Mountains 25 miles east of the Monterey Bay. The site was chosen for its limestone soils and ideal climate. At an average elevation of 2,200 feet it is among the highest and coolest vineyard sites in California.
In 2016, Mills Vineyard yielded a robust and expressive Pinot Noir that marries lovely dark berry layers of black currant and raspberry, with sophisticated notes of black tea, mushrooms and moist earth. On the palate, smooth, flowing tannins accentuate the rich fruit, while adding to a lush, concentrated finish.

81 reviews for Calera Pinot Noir ‘Mills Vineyard’ 2016

  1. Marianna Lyons –

    A beautifully aged Pinot, with a mature color, balanced nose and joyous palate. Fruit, spice, and length. Yummy!

  2. Dale Ogrodowicz –

    Full-bodied pinot noir with a meaty-mineral texture, black tea, and fish sauce flavors. Dark color with hints of bricking. Owned since release and consumed over two days.

  3. Stephanie Kanne –

    Fruit forward Cali Pinot, best with chicken stew. Age for a few years.

  4. Frank Gonzalez –

    Nose- bright red fruit. Raspberry, cherry, strawberry. Rose petal, cedar. , Palate- red fruit forward. Again raspberry and cherry. Really amazing linger on this one even for the seemingly light mouthfeel. Not very spicy. , Have loved the Mills for nearly a decade. It redefined Pinot Noir for me. This is another great example. Excited to revisit in a bit.

  5. Berry Corr –

    Bottle opened and decanted, but left me unimpressed. Hopeful for the next bottle.

  6. Lenora Kilian –

    Balanced vanilla cherry and earthy clay with a long finish. Perfectly satisfying.

  7. Cruz Joyner –

    Burg and elegant with complexity. Richness and oak on the palate. Light rootbeerish-ness. Score: 94-97. 2030 plus.

  8. Andrea Bradford –

    Syrupy-smokey with alcohol detractor, possibly due to bottle variance.

  9. Joaquin Olsen –

    Needs half an hour decanting, sour fruits and herbal palate, heavy on prunes, $129 CAD seemed too much. Improved on the second night.

  10. Donald Tickle –

    Full-bodied Pinot with black cherries, herbs and cocoa. Best consumed within 5 years.

  11. Mary Hassinger –

    Drank over five hours, Dark burgundy in color. medium +++ body, Fragrant floral nose. Tons of dark fruit. Baking spice. Intoxicating., Dry, balanced. Tastes like the nose. Long finish. First class product. In its drinking window for sure. Still has up to two years left IMHO. , Pizza+wings

  12. Clara Thompson –

    Light and pleasant, with cherry, cactus pear, hops, and vanilla notes. Not as bold as typical Calera Pinots.

  13. Jeffery Sweitzer –

    Young and dark with fresh fruit and medium nose of clove, mushroom, moss, and smoke. Palate is really nice.

  14. Jean Hansen –

    Exotic perfumed aroma, notes of red cherry, raspberry, earth, spice, dried flowers, pine needles and alcohol. Dark fruit flavors, notes of syrupy cherry, ripe red berries, and rhubarb. Very complex and interesting. Has the typical Calera character., This has plenty of life left, drink or hold. Cork in good shape.

  15. Verda Graves –

    Pinot lacks depth, tastes like a light CDP. Short finish. Drink now.

  16. Ronald Norman –

    Dark and earthy with blackberry notes and strong tannins. Reminiscent of Gevrey Chambertin. Toshi & Hiro.

  17. Robert Colbert –

    Balanced pinot with red cherry, cranberry, forest floor, and sweet candied notes. Medium-bodied, polished tannins, drinking well now. No need to wait, enjoy it today.

  18. Melissa Harris –

    Superb wine, best in a year.

  19. Kelly Ray –

    Review: Light ruby with strawberries and raspberry on pour. Smooth tannins, mid palate currant, cranberry, light spicy finish. Drinking nicely, but uncertain if more to come.

  20. Parker Santiago –

    Pale, earthy, herbal. Good entry with nice fruit complexity. Intense spread of fruit. Distinctive style of Pinot Noir. Enjoyable delicacy and concentration.

  21. Aaron Turk –

    Limestone pinot, slow start, great finish.

  22. Karen Olson –

    Delightful wine with red fruit notes and balanced acidity. Enjoyable now, may improve further.

  23. Leticia Parr –

    Light violet color with dark red fruit, earth, spice, black tea, and cola. Juicy acidity outran fruit. Overall, slightly watered down. Age, bottle variation, or typical profile?

  24. Brittany Pearson –

    Rich and balanced in the mouth with a slight baked nose. Store properly to avoid any unpleasant odors.

  25. Shaun Snyder –

    Same as before.

  26. Suzanne Ortiz –

    Earth-covered cherries and mushrooms with medium acidity and body. Beautiful effort.

  27. Linda Ball –

    Balanced with fruit and earth, mid weight, silky. Excellent.

  28. Ricardo Parker –

    Delicious and silky with good fruit and a touch of ash on the nose. Great energy, spice, and power on the long finish.

  29. Gloria Spearman –

    Velvety texture, rich flavors of red berry, mushroom, spice and plum, with a minty berry nose. Drinking well now.

  30. Bradford Nardone –

    Delicious cherry fruit with earthy notes. Drink or hold. Perfect with fresh pan-fried silver salmon.

  31. Norman Barone –

    Smooth finish with dark berry notes.

  32. Amanda Alston –

    Ok, this is still killer wine. I am not sure what will happen with new ownership, but there is no doubting the quality of this winery and vineyard. It is ripe style of Pinot Noir, but even after only a couple years, (and not the best storage conditions) this is showing a lovely savory side alone with the mostly black fruit. The acidity/tannins/fruit and completely harmonious at this point. This is a Pinot that makes you smile. Great stuff. Ok, 90 minutes later and this is stunning. So intense. And the fruit is just perfectly ripe. What a great wine.

  33. Peter Dougal –

    375ml. Decanted two hours., Aroma: Dried red berries (cherry, cranberry, raspberry, strawberry), with some underbrush, baking spice and cigar box. Very perfumed and complex., Taste: Complex red cherry, strawberry and dusty / chalky Pinot Noir notes. Somewhat stewed and oxidized fruit — the flavor is a little less youthful than the aroma. Extremely long and interesting finish. Well integrated and perfectly balanced., Drink soon, this bottle was surprisingly youthful with a decent amount of fruit remaining, but I suspect some are in decline. Cork in excellent condition.

  34. Gustavo Stanton –

    An improvement from 1999, but lacking elegance.

  35. Tina Ealey –

    Pruney taste noted.

  36. Ana Kelty –

    Delicious combo. Dry comment but good fruit. Burgundian restraint.

  37. Laurie Laramie –

    Pinot not my style.

  38. Donald Yazzie –

    Opaque, needs air.

  39. Juan Park –

    Concentrated cranberry and cherry flavors.

  40. Maria Jeanes –

    Excellent, interesting pinot.

  41. Walter Fuller –

    Softened with age, now harmonious with savory tomato skin over red fruit and spice. Pair with rack of lamb and wilted celery with mint.

  42. Johanna Battle –

    Beautifully drinkable!

  43. John Rodriguez –

    Enjoyed the Calera Pinot – balanced fruit and acidity, touch of dark red fruit, full body.

  44. Yolonda Miners –

    Great Pinot with a light and crispy taste, mineral notes and easy to drink.

  45. David Hoyt –

    Excellent crimson/garnet red wine with dominant all-spice aroma, silky berries, good acidity, and a long perfumed finish.

  46. Jennifer Hill –

    Smooth and rich, this wine has notes of red plum, spice, dark cherry, fresh herb, and orange liquor. Pairs well with copper river salmon. Ages well.

  47. Janet Hollis –

    Corked. Uncommon for Calera.

  48. Betty Channell –

    Excellent tertiary development in this non-corked wine. RIP Josh Jensen.

  49. Lara Horn –

    Floral notes of rose & violet with red fruit flavors on the nose. Mushroom/forest floor notes. Well-balanced & structured palate, but short finish. Great CA Pinot with potential to age.

  50. Luis Sanchez –

    Red berries on the nose, darker red berries on the palate with crisp acidity and tannin finish.

  51. Alice Houser –

    Flavors of truffle, mushrooms, forest floor, and dried plum with fresh and bright acidity. Hints of leather and dried blueberries on the palate.

  52. Sandra Desposito –

    Garnet color with sturdy legs. Perfectly ripened dark bing cherries with a forever finish. Best paired with Sicilian seafood linguine. Drinking well at 25.

  53. Maria Morales –

    Complex aroma of gamy plum, with dark fruit flavors on entry and mid-palate. However, finish is unexpectedly tannic and closed. Needs more time. A pleasant surprise.

  54. Marsha Conley –

    Medium-bodied with sour red cherries, Bing cherries, vanilla, and earthy flavors. Sweet fruit, toast and spice flavors make it crowd-pleasing and interesting.

  55. Chadwick Boor –

    Excellent Pinot Noir with velvety texture, earthy nose, and fruity complexity. Mild heat on the finish. Hope Calera continues its excellence after the founder’s passing.

  56. Raymond Mccreedy –

    This was such a massive disappointment. This has always been one of my favorite Pinot Noir’s from CA. The 2016 was sensational. I am not sure exactly when the wine making duties passed to the Duckhorn team, but this is nothing like the Mills vineyard of old. There is no personality, no savory qualities. It’s a fine PN, but rather boring and one note. I hope this was a one off bottle, but fear that the days of great Pinot Noir from California night be over.

  57. Danielle Moore –

    Properly cellared – Fabulous dark fruited modestly earthy nose. Satisfying, virile taste balancing rich black & blue fruits against proper acid & tannin with not excessive oak influence. Very happy where this is now, & looking forward to retaste in 4-5 years.

  58. Leonard Cazares –

    Typical Calera flavor profile — nice red fruit and dusty earth. Very complex. All of our guests loved it (as usual). Drinking well right now after a 1 hour decant.

  59. Andrew Braddy –

    Migration’s fourth Pinot is complex and elegant, with rich notes of currants, cherry, blood orange, and forest floor. Smooth and fresh, with a nice long finish.

  60. Chris Kincaid –

    Decanter Fine Wine Encounter (The Landmark, London), : slight toast, oak, slight alcohol prickle, ripe cherry, sweet spice, fruit jam on the palate with woody tannins and rather clumsily adjusted acid. Nah.

  61. Robert Pando –

    Mount Harlan Estate tasting at Calera (Hollister), : dark but translucent garnet in the glass with medium body. there was strong smokey mineral whiff in the nose that never totally went away, but dissipated enough to let notes of black tea, pepper, and baking spice mix with the strawberry and black cherry aromas. medium body in the mouth with concentrated but dark fruit attack, medium plus acidity, and quite a bit of stony minerality; spicy flavours and solid tannins round out the profile and carry thru a fairly long finish., this may just be entering its drinking window., 14.5% AbV; 100% whole cluster; eighteen months in french oak (30% new)

  62. Kathe Nasser –

    10-year-old Californian PN with fresh/dried fruit, smoky, earthy, and mushroomy with a long finish.

  63. Virginia Ford –

    Medium garnet color. Earthy, cedar and cherry aroma. Velvety texture, resolved tannins. Past peak but still drinks well. Fantastic California Pinot.

  64. Kim Buchanan –

    2013 Mills has an earthy and mineral aspect balanced with dark fruit. Notes of soy sauce, damp forest floor, leather, and dried blueberries. Good backbone of acid.

  65. Donna Knight –

    Balanced structure with sweet blackberry, earthy mushroom, and soft florals. Complex minerality and California fruit ripeness. Noticeable 14.3% heat.

  66. Nilda Martinez –

    Balanced and beautiful, defies its age.

  67. Stephanie Hinkson –

    Calera Pinot Noir is a beautiful, age-able wine with red fruit notes that are bright and lifted. It can be enjoyed for another 5-10 years.

  68. Raymond Dominique –

    Dark red fruit on the nose, followed by dark cherry, red plums, sweet pipe tobacco, and a hint of spice on the palate. Moderate finish.

  69. Joshua Carthen –

    Herby nose, ripe cherry, strawberry jam, white pepper. Concentrated texture, savory, tannic. Less impressive than claimed.

  70. Paul Woodbury –

    Neighbor’s wine. Bland at first, but improved with light red berry fruit. Good to Very Good.

  71. Jeanette Daniels –

    Great red and plum fruits with good acid and medium tannins. Slightly hot but enjoyable.

  72. Allen Castro –

    Excellent 30-year-old Cali Pinot with balanced acidity and fruity notes. Can age for another 5 years.

  73. Ana Thompson –

    Balanced and stunning with intense cranberry and strawberry notes. Oak is present on the nose but integrated on the palate. Great acidity, perfect now.

  74. Betsy Martin –

    Perfect pairing with lamb chops, roasted Easter egg potatoes, and delicious asparagus.

  75. Norman Maier –

    Enjoyed the aged pinot for my birthday. Perfect provenance and condition.

  76. WE –

    Wild cherry, thyme, sagebrush and light bay leaf aromas converge on the nose of this bottling, which is relatively mellow to start but opens considerable with patience. Roasted cherry, cherry-pit and juniper flavors align on the palate, which is full-throttle in flavor and structure.

  77. WA –

    Aged in 30% new French oak for 17 months, the 2016 Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard is pale to medium ruby in the glass. The nose opens to dusty soil and crushed stone notes, fleshing out to charcuterie, dried red cherries, mushroom and tree bark with black tea leaves hints. The palate is medium-bodied, savory and firmly framed, with seamlessly woven freshness and finishing nuanced.

  78. TP –

    Grown on limestone soil at an elevation of 2,200 feet, this wine exudes a mesmerizing nose of Chinese five spice and tea leaves. An underscore of wet stone melds with the luscious notes of cherry, rose, and cinnamon.

  79. VIN –

    The 2016 Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard, from own-rooted vines, is one of the more open-knit wines in this range. Soft and gracious, with medium-bodied structure, the 2016 is nicely understated, but it also does not have the layered quality found in so many wines. Overall though, the Mills feels a bit stressed, an impression that is reinforced by the dried fruit, tobacco and licorice flavors. I would prefer to drink it sooner rather than later.

  80. WAS –

    In a southeast-facing set of limestone hills, Mills Vineyard often yields warm and spicy fruit. In 2016 it grew a savory, generous pinot, the fruit cradled in scents of creosote and bay laurel, oak and spice, and draped in fine tannins; for pheasant.

  81. WIL –

    I have been tracking the Calera Mills Vineyard over the last two decades; the 2016 vintage is an excellent effort. TASTING NOTES: This wine is a classic. Its rich and racy aromas and flavors of red fruit and earth should pair well with wild game birds.

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Critical Acclaim

WE 93
Wine Enthusiast
Wild cherry, thyme, sagebrush and light bay leaf aromas converge on the nose of this bottling, which is relatively mellow to start but opens considerable with patience. Roasted cherry, cherry-pit and juniper flavors align on the palate, which is full-throttle in flavor and structure.
WA 92
Wine Advocate
Aged in 30% new French oak for 17 months, the 2016 Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard is pale to medium ruby in the glass. The nose opens to dusty soil and crushed stone notes, fleshing out to charcuterie, dried red cherries, mushroom and tree bark with black tea leaves hints. The palate is medium-bodied, savory and firmly framed, with seamlessly woven freshness and finishing nuanced.
TP 94
Tasting Panel
Grown on limestone soil at an elevation of 2,200 feet, this wine exudes a mesmerizing nose of Chinese five spice and tea leaves. An underscore of wet stone melds with the luscious notes of cherry, rose, and cinnamon.
VIN 91
Vinous
The 2016 Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard, from own-rooted vines, is one of the more open-knit wines in this range. Soft and gracious, with medium-bodied structure, the 2016 is nicely understated, but it also does not have the layered quality found in so many wines. Overall though, the Mills feels a bit stressed, an impression that is reinforced by the dried fruit, tobacco and licorice flavors. I would prefer to drink it sooner rather than later.
WAS 94
Wine & Spirits
In a southeast-facing set of limestone hills, Mills Vineyard often yields warm and spicy fruit. In 2016 it grew a savory, generous pinot, the fruit cradled in scents of creosote and bay laurel, oak and spice, and draped in fine tannins; for pheasant.
WIL 93
Wilfred Wong
I have been tracking the Calera Mills Vineyard over the last two decades; the 2016 vintage is an excellent effort. TASTING NOTES: This wine is a classic. Its rich and racy aromas and flavors of red fruit and earth should pair well with wild game birds.

What does Calera Pinot Noir 'Mills Vineyard' 2016 taste like?


Light
Bold
Smooth
Tannic
Dry
Sweet
Soft
Acidic
Earthy Flavors of the wine

leather, earthy, mushroom

Red Fruit flavors of the wine

cherry, raspberry, red fruit

Oaky Flavors of the wine

oak, tobacco, vanilla

apple, peach

Black Fruit Flavors of the wine

blackberry, plum, dark fruit

Aromas and Flavors of Spices in the wine

pepper, licorice, cinnamon

Citrus notes found in the wine

lemon, grapefruit, orange

cheese, oil, banana

Vegetal notes found in the wine

tomato, rhubarb, tomato leaf

raisin, fig, prune

Floral aromas found in the wine

violet, dried flowers, perfume

Food Pairing with Calera Pinot Noir 'Mills Vineyard' 2016

Our wine experts think this Light and Perfumed Calera Pinot Noir 'Mills Vineyard' 2016 wine would be a match made in heaven with these dishes. Bon appétit!
Beef alt
Beef
Chicken and Turkey
Game deer
Game (deer, venison)
Poultry
Veal
Calera Wine Company

Calera Wine Company

picturesque view of Mills Vineyard owned by Calera Wine Company
Josh Jensen of Calera Wine Company
Nestled in the picturesque region of Mt Harlan in California's San Benito County, the Calera Wine Company stands as a testament to the remarkable potential of limestone-rich soils in winemaking. Established in 1974, this esteemed wine estate owes its existence to the vision of winemaker Josh Jensen. After training in the revered wine region of Burgundy, Jensen learned the significance of limestone soils for producing exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Inspired by this knowledge, he embarked on a quest to find the perfect terroir upon returning to the US. Jensen's search led him to Mt Harlan, where he purchased land that had once been a limestone quarry. In 1975, he planted 10 hectares (24 acres) of Pinot Noir, with the first vintage from the vineyard debuting in 1978. Over the...check our brand Calera Wine Company
11300 Cienega Rd, Hollister, CA 95023, USA

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