Patz & Hall, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir 2012

The appeal of Patz & Hall come in large part from the philosophy of winemaker James Hall, who astutely takes a step back and allows each of P&H’s vineyard-specific wines to express the character nature gave each vineyard in any given vintage. Chenoweth typically delivers richness and length. This vintage, however, has a lean edge to it, giving the impression it is more muscle than fat. That said, it’s a beautiful pinot noir that shows complex aromas of blackberry and plum, with a firm structure. The length on the palate for which Cheoweth is famous will come in due time, for those who are willing to lay it down for another year or so in the cellar.