So, I was at the Eastern Wineries Expo 2017 in Syracuse at the opening night wine tasting. There on one of the tables was Palmaris Pinot Noir Reserve Outer Coastal Plain 2014.
Now, I know Tomasello wines extremely well. They make a lovely line of desert wines and value wines meant for popular consumption. Their brand is ubiquitous in New Jersey. But....what few people fail to recognize (and what's becoming more and more apparent) is that Tomasello not only makes a line of premium fine wines, but has been leading the state in producing quality focused wines. I feel like sometimes they don't get enough love for that.
Tomasello was among the first to champion the Outer Coastal Plain region, and make fantastic wines from grapes grown there. Their Cabernet Sauvignon was written up by Howard Goldberg in the New York Times! Now they have made a statement with their new Pinot Noir.
Tomasello positioned Palmaris with a 2013 release. I wasn't able to get my hands on it, so I was happy when I reached for the bottle at EWE 2017!
Palmaris Pinot Noir Reserve Outer Coastal Plain 2014 is made from 100% Pinot Noir estate grown at Tomasello's Flittertown Road Vineyard. The grapes were hand harvested, crushed, and inoculated with yeast, and fermented on the skins for 10 days. Malo-lactic fermentation was simultaneously initiated. The wine was eventually shifted to 2nd year American and French oak for one year.
This was a big, soft, juicy Pinot Noir filled with bright, soft cherry, plum, and hints of red cassis. A beautiful wine with a nice balance of acidity and light tannins. Super easy to drink.Absolutel fabulous!
Tomasello has attempted to set a new standard for Pinot Noir in New Jersey. Not only have they raised the bar for Pinot in NJ with this quality, serious wine, but had joined the ranks of those who are excellent producers of this varietal wine on the east coast.
Great job to the folks at Tomasello!