Baileyana, Edna Valley (California) Pinot Noir 2009

Winemaker Christian Roguenant scored a rare double at the 2012 Winemaker Challenge when both his chardonnay and pinot noir from Baileyana earned platinum awards and advanced to the championship rounds of this unique wine competition, where all of the judges are accomplished winemakers. The chardonnay went on to take the vote for Wine of the Year, but that shouldn’t diminish the accomplishment of the pinot noir in any way. This lovely pinot from the Grand Firepeak Vineyard in the cool Edna Valley is exquisitely balanced, exhibits excellent flavor intensity and beautifully integrated tannins. The wine shows layers of red fruits and spice and has the structure to improve in the bottle over the next several years.