Wrath, Monterey (Monterey County, California) Pinot Noir 2008

 Rare is the California Pinot Noir that exploits the lean, wild side of this unique grape rather than the plump lushness typical of Pinot grown in the famously intense California sun.  While Wrath’s San Saba Pinot is still absurdly young, its smoky, meaty, mushroomy elements will still satisfy palates that yearn for a hint of the untamed feral flavors true Pinot lovers crave.  This is not, however, one of those pale, skeletal wines many enophiles seek out in Burgundy, for Wrath’s Pinot is awash in concentrated cherry and strawberry elements embedded in layers of silky tannin.