Black Kite, Anderson Valley (Mendocino County, California) Pinot Noir 2009

 Winemaker Jeff Gaffner has demonstrated a knack of cranking out California’s classiest Pinot Noir from this small (12-acre) vineyard in what is called the "Deep End" of the redwood-studded Anderson Valley, in western Mendocino County. There are three distinct vineyard blocks that are in production, plus Kite’s Rest, which is a blend of all three blocks. As a group, they may well be California’s finest Pinots from a single vineyard site. The ’09 Kite’s Rest is a layered, rich, high-octane Pinot (14.8 percent ABV) that is nevertheless beautifully balanced. Notes of red plum, Bing cherry and raspberry dominate, the tannins are supple, the acid is bright, and notes of tea leaf and forest floor are complementary complexities.