Knuttel Family 'Bill's Hidden Track' Pinot Noir

Wine Club Selection - April 2022

With a career that spans nearly forty years, it’s safe to say that William Knuttel knows wine.  He began his journey at Saintsbury in 1983, where he established the brand – and himself – as an international leader in high-end Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  He founded his eponymous brand, William Knuttel, in 2001, and in 2014, he added the Knuttel Family line for premium wines of incredible value.  He now runs the winery with the help of his daughter Kate and Rex Smith, a Kiwi turned Californian.  Smith was born and raised on a farm in New Zealand where he first became interested in horticulture.  After studying Viticulture and Oenology, he moved to California to gain more experience and met Bill while working at Saintsbury.  In 2012 Rex and Bill reunited, and Rex became the Winemaker and General Manager at Knuttel Winery.  The close-knit group runs their operation under the mantra “wines of intensity and finesse”, earning numerous 90+ scores across their repertoire.

Bill’s Hidden Track is a fruit-forward, medium bodied Pinot Noir that was aged for eleven months in French oak to develop its flavors.  The wine features bright aromas of wild raspberry, pomegranate, violets, and red plum.  Fresh, pronounced flavors of wild strawberry coalesce with hints of earth and tea.  It glides smoothly along the palate with an elegant structure and mouthfeel that gives way to integrated tannins, crisp acidity, and a hint of baking spice on the finish.

“Juicy strawberry is met by earth, tea, and candied cherry in this delightfully fresh, focused, and light-in-style wine. With integrated tannin and a silky texture, it glides smoothly along the palate, retaining crisp acidity and a lasting hit of baking spice.” – 91 Points, Wine Enthusiast