Have you ever tasted a great white Pinot Noir? Chances are you may have never had a white Pinot, nor ever tasted a truly great one. White Pinot Noir when it is done well is up there with any beautiful example of any varietal. The aromatic and flavor range of this wine can be utterly captivating — everything from orchard fruits and baked apple and pear tones to marzipan, nutty tones as well as forest floor and earthy accents. Sometimes the wine can even take on citrus notes.
Speaking with the master of white Pinot Noir himself, Tony Rynders talked about how he crafted the first serious white Pinot Noir for Domaine Serene decades ago. An inspired tale, Tony was visiting with an Italian winemaker during IPNC more than fifteen years ago and was inspired to make this wine that was conveyed to him, crafting a Pinot Noir wines without using the skins.
For many years I have loved the white Pinot Noir made by Domaine Serene, but Tony has been making this wine now for many years for his Tendril winery and the wines are utterly sensational. I have loved these wines upon release but I never had the time to sit with them over several hours and observe their aging potential. My feeling is that a great white Pinot Noir will have similar aging potential to great Pinot Noir wines. I was amazed what Tony did with his 2013 Tendril ‘Pretender’ White Pinot Noir (OB, 94) which comes from a massively difficult harvest for white grape varietals with torrential rains at harvest. This wine has incredible length and while it might be a touch leaner than the two other wines I tried, it is definitely not lacking in complexity as it has sensational flavor range. I was absolutely floored with the 2015 Tendril ‘Pretender’ White Pinot Noir (OB, 95) which is rich and viscous with a downright unctuous mouthfeel and polished texture. Quite simply, this is white Pinot Noir at its finest. Lear more about these incredible wines at
2013 Tendril ‘Pretender’ White Pinot Noir- Now showing more brownish tones once in the glass, the 2013 ‘Pretender’ White Pinot Noir is a show stopping wine by Tendril. The aromatic range is quite exquisite from Macadamia nut to peat moss tones alongside orange blossom and shades of cinnamon and cloves. Once on the attack you are greeted to the silky and elegant, simply gliding across the mid-palate. Layers of honeydew melon, buttercream, Pink Lady apple and shades of papaya with stony and earthy undertones all are woven together marvelously together on the palate. The length really adds to the enjoyment as the gorgeous 2013 ‘The Pretender’ White Pinot Noir will enjoy another decade or more ahead of it. Drink 2020-2030- 94
2014 Tendril ‘Pretender’ White Pinot Noir- The 2014 ‘Pretender’ White Pinot Noir is a downright awesome wine that is still remarkably youthful at the six year mark. The nose shows higher tones than the ’13 ‘Pretender’ with more citrus blossom tones alongside Marcona almond, kiwi and white peach that all take shape in the glass. The palate comes off quite unctuous, with great acidity and a seamless texture. Layers of green papaya with honeydew melon, Japanese pear and shades of roasted hazelnut all nicely come together on the palate. Fantastic to enjoy at this stage, the 2014 ‘Pretender’ still has another decade or more ahead of it. Drink 2020-2032- 94
2015 Tendril ‘Pretender’ White Pinot Noir- The 2015 ‘Pretender’ White Pinot Noir is showing marvelously at this stage. The nutty tones are quite pronounced as Macadamia nut and almandine tones combine with shades of damp earth, honeydew melon and nectarine that all mingle in the glass. The palate is fresh and vibrant showing off a seamless texture and oily, almost unctuous effect. Layers of melon fruit mingle with lemon rind, green apple, sourdough bread and minerals on the palate. The length here is exquisite. Gorgeous at the five year mark, this is just an infant right now. Drink 2020-2034- 95