From a winery that often does not get the respect that its wines indicate it deserves, this reserve Pinot offers pretty cherry fruit enhanced by savory spice and a compelling earthy note that gains intensity in the finish. It is beautifully balanced and quite long, and suffers from none of the annoying heat or excessive sweetness that mars so many Golden State renditions of this always finicky grape.
Rodney Strong, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir 2008
By Paul Lukacs