MacPhail, Anderson Valley (Mendocino County) Pinot Noir 2009

With bright, lifted red fruit aromas, MacPhail’s Ferrington Vineyard Pinot Noir will appeal to those who favor fruit-driven Pinot over more earthy expressions of the grape variety. That’s not a criticism, for this vintage offers a complex array of fruit and spice aromas on the nose, with a medium-weight palate that delivers plenty of flavor and a persistent finish. It’s elegant and balanced and another notch in winemaker James MacPhail’s belt.