Don's Gillette's Weekly Wine Blog
Weekly musings from our store's resident wine guru
Don has over thirty years experience in the wine industry. For the last eighteen years his attention has been focused on the growing local industry. Don has a large following of customers who search out his opinions (never in short supply!) on new releases and on what's currently most distinctive on our shelves. Others seek his insights on wineries and trends that are still under the radar. Check back here each week for Don's latest thoughts on various wine-related topics. Read Don's full bio...
Email Don directly with your wine-related questions.
July 1, 2009
Clubbing Away at the Pinot Noir Grape
Our store offers several wine clubs, some monthly, others quarterly. I have a hand in the administration of most of them and I think about them all the time. In fact, each attractive new sample we taste sends electricity to circuits in my brain set aside for the evaluation of "club wines". I need several such circuits, as each club box tries to meet the expectations of a slightly different group of drinkers.
For a while now I have contemplated writing about the various strategies adopted when picking wines for the different clubs, as customers ask me about this topic regularly. Today I have decided to explain my thinking to our Pinot Club members, with am eye toward dropping a copy of this blog into the July PC box.
When I was younger (about the time Moses joined the choir invisible) and Burgundy was the only choice, Pinot lovers traditionally built their cellars along the following lines:
1 - Buy as many fine-vintage/age-worthy Premier-Cru & Grand-Cru Burgundies as are affordable, preferably with a preponderance of "vineyard-designated" bottlings over less distinguished "village" blends.
2 - Judiciously buy the best examples from less prestigious (cheaper) appellations and like Santenay or Volnay. If not up to dinner at the Ritz, these will be better than a Chambertain with the next veal chop you grill!
3 - Finally, capture the occasional bottle of something truly extravagant, like a Romanee-Conti for instance. This is not only an extremely expensive treat, it is a wine you probably couldn't find by the case anyway, regardless of your current bank balance. It isn't replaceable once its gone, so you cellar it patiently, reserving it for that special dinner with like-minded Pinot-philes.
I try to incorporate the above traditions into our Pinot Club boxes, but with some extra provisions that take into account the extraordinary availability of outstanding Pinot we are now experiencing.
Cause the Hits Just Keep on Comin'
California Pinot Noir planting has expanded exponentially since the late 1980s and that expansion rate remains steady. When a new and exciting vineyard or winery appears; or one reaches a level of maturity that it challenges its competitors for quality; or if a planter or winery literally braves new ground in some unexpected place to produce something of merit: it deserves inclusion in the Pinot box.
The box should also introduce any new vintage of merit, which (in light of the fact that we have just had multiple consecutive brilliant Pinot vintages) means that the box will typically contain the early-release appellation bottlings of a new vintage, along-side the late-release vineyard-designates of one or two previous years.
What should subscribers expect? Something that is a fine value, perhaps from an evolving property that is showing great promise. Something that shows the pedigree of its year or highly regarded produced. Something that drinks beautifully, yet can improve. Something that truly impresses and will clearly repay cellaring. Something read about but never successfully acquired. Something never before seen that will startle with its quality.
Some of the six wines will be easily re-ordable. Some are scarce enough that only the fleet of foot will be able to order more. Some utilize every bottle that NVWE has been able to procure and will likely never be available again. We include those wines because we recognize that our most passionate Pinot customers might otherwise never be exposed to them.
A Quick Word about Pinot Days and the highly anticipated 2007 Vintage
Sunday, June 28th, marked the Grand Tasting of this year's Pinot Days celebration. Here is a brief list of new wines that especially impressed me (excluding most appellation bottlings).
The most clearly outstanding 2007s (in alphabetical order):
2007 Arista Longbow
2007 Arista Perli
2007 August West Rosella's
2007 Benovia Savoy
2007 Benovia Sonoma Coast
2007 Black Kite Redwoods Edge
2007 Black Kite Kites Rest
2007 Chasseur Umino
2007 Chasseur Blank
2007 Dutton-Goldfield Sanchetti
2007 Dutton-Goldfield Freestone Hill
2007 Londer Ferrington
2007 Lucia Garys'
2007 Roessler Sanford & Benedict
2007 Roessler Gaps Crown
2007 Tantara La Colline
2007 Tantara Rio Vista
Others 2007s that looked very impressive but seemed not yet as complete or as focused, as they should be in a few months:
2007 Ancien Mink
2007 Arista Mononi
2007 Arista Toboni
2007 Baton
2007 Benovia Cohn
2007 Benovia Bella Una
2007 Black Kite Stony Terrace
2007 Black Kite Rivers Turn
2007 Cargasacchi SRH
2007 Dutton Estate Manzana
2007 Kastania Proprietor's Reserve
2007 Kendric Marin Estate
2007 Ketcham Estate
2007 Londer Anderson Valley
2007 Londer Parabol
2007 Roessler Savoy
2007 Russian Hill Estate
2007 Tantara Garys'
2008 Bohemian Estate
Apologies to Dutton-Goldfield, Dutton Estate, Freeman, Melville and any others whose tables I failed to fully explore! Apologies to all those who poured delicious 2006s! Special thanks to Lisa & Steve Rigisich and all those who made this wonderfully successful tasting possible!
Posted by Don on July 1, 2009 1:17 PM |Permalink
June 25, 2009
Five of a kind, more or less
It is now apparent that 2008 will be the fifth consecutive "great vintage" for Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The persistent rumors to that effect were nicely substantiated at the annual Passport to Cabernet barrel tasting, this May.
Each successive vintage has shown a personality of its own, although not every one has been easy to understand at the outset (particularly 2006). The character of 2008 is already clearly defined however, despite its immaturity: wine lovers will be able to recognize it by its concentration.
Winter 2008 was extremely dry and frost damage was a serious issue in the Spring.These and other events resulted in a tiny crop. That may seem a blessing at this point, as the market is currently swamped with fine Cabernets, yet someday we will wish there were more. If there is not much juice, it is apparent that quality in 2008 is consistently exceptional throughout Napa's multiple appellations.
What is especially appealing to me is that this could be a classic grand-scale vintage, without being an overripe one. The statement seems as appropriate in all the valley appellations as well as in the much different mountain areas. This means that even those producers committed to classic elegance and polish will have the raw materials to make wines of impressive longevity.
The most impressive example of the classic-style I have thus far encountered is the gorgeous 2008 Martin Estate Reserve (it reminds of '60s BV Reserves). The intense, yet wonderfully graceful 2008 Arns shows that similar results were possible at higher elevations.
The most powerful and dramatic 2008 I have so far tasted is the Keenan Reserve. It has extraordinary depth and focus; pristinely ripe varietal character; authentic Spring Mountain terroir; and a mountain musculature reminiscent of the great '60s and '70s Cabs of Mayacamas and Ridge.
Other exciting examples poured at the Passport tasting included the tightly-would and powerful '08 Carter "Tokalon" from Oakville; the concentrated and attractively herbal O'Saughnessy from above Arns on Howell mountain; and the vividly fruity Sherwin and Spring Mountain Winery samples.
Cabs blended across appellation lines, like the rich Whitehall Lane Reserve (Rutherford & St Helena fruit), should really benefit from the grape's general success here.
Bye the way, two Paso Robles Cabs poured at Passport were of similar stature. Adelaida's Viking Cab, and Justin's sample (assumed to be headed into 2008 Isoceles) were as rich and vibrantly fruity as the northern wines.
2004 through 2008 looks a bit like a Royal Flush!
Posted by Don on June 25, 2009 10:06 AM |Permalink
Apologies for the hiatus between this entry and the last. Responsibilities in other areas made it unavoidable.
Posted by Don on June 25, 2009 9:46 AM |Permalink
May 7, 2009
Standing with the Tall Trees
I have attended three major wine showcases in the last two weeks, with Cabernet Sauvignon the main theme at two. The First was the annual Oakville Growers trade tasting. This year, it was held at Robert Mondavi winery in Napa Valley. Each year, it is the Cabernet lover's most sought-after ticket. The wines here can reach toward the heavens.
This year's event was a coming-out party for the very fine 2006 vintage, the success of which I found gratifying. 2006 was a year in which Napa Cabernet fermentations were typically prolonged. That resulted in dumb barrel samples which were nearly impossible to evaluate early on. The samples did not lack concentration or structure, but were blurry, awkward and confusing. I have watched this ugly duckling and told anyone who would listen that it would eventually become a Swan, yet the wines have remained stubbornly tight until just recently, and many still need extended airing to fully reveal themselves.
The Growers venue makes for a wonderful vintage-release showcase, as so many great independent producers are located in Oakville. Large corporate wineries (and their heavy-tonnage crops) are much in the minority here, so the event is a nearly ideal place to judge the high-end potential of a new crop. This is also a tasting where one can try cult wines that will reach shelves at $300.00 to 1200.00 per bottle, alongside multiple bottlings of similar quality that sell for under $75.00.
The 2006s were very impressive, not just for structure and mouth-feel, but for clarity, intensity and charm. A few were just emerging from their shell, while others were full-blown wonderful. Some gorgeous late-release 2005s were also poured. A list of my "first tier" Oakville Growers Cabs, in alphabetical order, would include:
2006 Ghost Block Estate
2005 Harlan Estate
2006 Hoopes Estate
2006 Liparita
2005 Paradigm Estate
2005 Phelps Backus Vineyard
2006 Screaming Eagle Esate
2006 Stanton Estate
2006 Tierra Roja Estate
The first tier wines were uniformly impressive and forthcoming. Those in boldface are current releases, and each is under $75.00 per bottle! All my "second tier" wines were clearly successful, yet less forthcoming. Time will tell whether they are a lesser breed or just late bloomers. Here is that alphabetical list:
2005 Bond St Eden Vineyard
2005 Bond Vecina Vineyard
2006 De Sante Terraces
2006 Far Niente Oakville
2006 Futo Estate
2005 Kelleher Brix Vineyard
2005 Robert Mondavi Oakville
Unfortunately, I arrived too late to the Dalla Valle table and managed to accidentally pass by Nickel & Nickel.
Next week: The Califronia Cabernet Society tasting and the 2008 Vintage.
Posted by Don on May 7, 2009 3:43 PM |Permalink
April 13, 2009
I Run for the Rosé
For the last decade or so California Rosé has experienced steady growth in both production and quality, the latter to the point where anticipation for upcoming releases is now one of my personal Spring hallmarks.
Three recent releases are particularly gratifying: one for its purity and infectious drinkability; another for its depth and potential for improvement; the third, a sparkler, for its remarkable overall quality.
The 2008 Elizabeth Rosé of Syrah was a joyful surprise on multiple levels. Its color is a striking pink of great clarity. Its aromas and mid-palate flavors are a gale-force blast of spring freshness, while its lingering finish is a knife-edged contest between vibrant fruit and zesty dryness.
The Elizabeth includes 7% Zinfandel and is produced from two plots carved out of famous Yountville and Oakville Cabernet vineyards at a significant financial loss to the producers. When they told me the source of the fruit, I told them that intentionally producing a blush wine in the heart of Cab country made no sense to me whatsoever. I don't think I stopped berating them until I tasted the wine.
The 2008 Bedrock Rosé of Mourvedre from old vines in Sonoma Valley is nicknamed "Ode to Lulu", to honor the legendary proprietor of Bandol's Domaine Tempier. Tempier's Mourvedre Rosé is France's definition of the sophisticated and age-worthy style.
"Ode to Lulu" is paler in color than Elizabeth, and its aromas are just beginning to express the minerally-earthy, slightly bark-like undercurrents that define a Bandol blush. Its fruit components of strawberry and plum and a custard-like richness seem to float in the ether above. On the palate, this is a quietly delicious and dinner-worthy wine, destined to grow deeper and more exotic over the next year or so.
Neither of the preceding beauties however, offered the drama of the 2005 Schramsberg North Coast Rosé, which was such a revelation that it was distracting. My thoughts kept returning to it as I tasted through their other wines. Schramsberg's delicious Reserve and J Schram bottlings, poured beside it and sold at more than twice the retail price, could not compete with the Rosé's intensity, lovely fruit character and chiseled focus.
I was determined to build a Spring dinner around the Schramsberg, to see if it was really that good or if I was crazy when I first tried it. Last Saturday was the test. I paired it with grilled prawns, left 4 hours in a smoked paprika, lemon and olive oil marinade; cold asparagus in vinaigrette; potato rolls (hot out of the oven); and a cold salad of baby rose potatoes, golden beets, kumquats, sliced shallots and tarragon all steeped in an orange juice, lemon and olive oil dressing and served over butter lettuce.
The result was something near perfection. Not only did the wines fruity-minerally personality perfectly match the dinner, but the second bottle was better than the first! It was not only the best domestic Rosé I have ever tasted and the best Schramsberg bottling I have had ever had, it was in the running as the best California Sparkling wine I have ever had. If the bottles prove consistent, I may have to give up everything else for a while.
My full notes on these beauties can be found here on our website at www.nvwe.com.
Posted by Don on April 13, 2009 2:22 PM |Permalink
April 8, 2009
Mendocino in Motion
The wines of Mendocino have always been a very diverse group and for much of the areas history quality has been just as variable. The emergence of Anderson Valley as a center for sparkling wine production and more recently as the hub of the Mendocino Pinot Noir industry, has elevated the regions status dramatically. Yesterday, a diverse offering of Mendocino's viticultural produce was brought south, for display at the Golden Gate Club in San Francisco's Presidio.
As expected, Pinot Noirs were the standouts, with 2006 and 2007 bottlings about equally represented. I have found 2006 to be rather more inconsistent here than elsewhere, with the lesser bottlings seeming wimpy or dull, while some of the better bottlings have been ultra-slow to express themselves. This tasting generally reinforced that opinion.
Shirley Londer's Pinots are a prime example of 2006 reticence. This was my third taste-through of her '06s, which were hard as nails upon release, but were significantly more expressive at this stage. This was especially true of the regular Anderson Valley bottling, which is now becoming a lovely dinner wine. The Anderson Valley Estate is now revealing truly lovely fresh cherry-pomegranate fruit; while the Parabol remains a tightly wound bottling that only now is beginning to soften its hard mineral personality with notes of cherry syrup and dried cranberries. Age is being kind, but patience is still necessary.
The Goldeneye '06 represents the other pole, as it is an unusually forthcoming and delicious Pinot. Goldeneye's Gowan Creek version is oakier, grander and clearly more cellar-worthy, if tighter at this point.
The group of 2007 Pinots were much as I had hoped, with lovely color and the sweet fruit-forward character this extremely charming vintage is exhibiting state-wide. Some of the examples seemed bottle-shocky and in need of more time to fully round into focus, but others were pure pleasure.
If I had to pick a favorite among the '07s, it would probably be Arista's new Perli Vineyard bottling, a wine of picture-perfect clarity in both color and fruit definition. It is an October release that we will jump on. Drew's Fog-Cutter was another fine example, a wine of obvious youth, it already displayed depth, charm and distinctive varietal character. Drew's Savoy was also impressive, if clearly displaying that well-known vineyards need for cellar time.
The Migration '07 was a fruit-forward lovely at a fine price, while Phillips Hill's Oppenlander bottling (from the less recognized Comptche area to the North of Anderson Valley) stood up to the best Pinots from the AV. Only a few bubblies were poured, with the steely-elegant 2002 Roederer L'Ermitage stealing the show. One could hardly envision a better "oyster-wine".
Time constraints kept me from fully covering the red wines in the non-Pinot group, but I did a pretty good job on the whites. I found no Chardonnay that rose above the ordinary, but did very much enjoy one Sauvignon Blanc, finding the 2007 Patianna (organic & bio-dymamic) very expressive and having a fine mouth-feel. I did save time to sample goodies from the various food-perveyors who were in attendance and they were uniformly first rate! Although worth a special trip, Mendocino is very inconvenient to visit, so this local event was a pleasure. I hope it occurs annually.
Posted by Don on April 8, 2009 10:03 AM |Permalink
March 25, 2009
Don's Blog is taking a week off and will resume on Tuesday March 31st.
Posted by Don on March 25, 2009 7:49 AM |Permalink
March 16, 2009
Worlds Apart
Between 1972 and 1988, I sold good, great and sometimes disappointing wines from around the world. Not since though: from 1989 on, tunnel vision has been an occupational hazard for me.
After so many years of tasting and selling California wines almost exclusively, I am rarely invited to events geared toward wines from other countries. When an invitation to a World-wines tasting does arrive, I know that it represents either an accident, or more often, a courtesy. The sender is usually well-aware that I am not a potential customer.
On a personal basis, I have scant free-time for non-California wine tastings and have perennial access to attractive local bottlings that keep me satisfied. To be truthful, I dedicate little energy, beyond curiosity, to keeping up on all the other wines of the world.
No Defense Offered
From my vantage point (more or less on the sidelines), the larger production wines of California, Europe, Australia and the rest of the world seem to become more numbingly similar each year. Differences due to region, tradition, philosophy, etc., don't become particularly evident until one looks to the smaller wine producers.
I am content to represent a distinctive community of the later. I know for a fact that other merchants focus in the same way on wine-making communities around the world. If I occasionally get to enjoy the products they bring forth, I count myself lucky. I can't really envision them or their products as competitors. Nor do I think that one region needs to dominate or emulate another.
A Parallel Universe
This week Michael, an old customer and member of our quarterly Pinot Noir club, sent me an email forwarding a March 11th, New York Times wine article. That article was titled "Finessed and Light: California Pinot Noirs With a Manifesto".
Michael wondered what I thought of the writers point of view. I suspect that Michael's query referred to the authors belief that power, ripeness, apparent sweetness and alcoholic strength are the goals or preferences of the majority of California Pinot producers.
Reading the article reminded me that I travel in a different wine Universe that wine-writers even in New York seem unaware of .The discussion at hand was one that was common five years ago in California, but is rarely heard now, essentially it boils down to: when will the "California Pinot palate" grow up?
What strikes me about the article is the lack of access its assumptions imply. The author advocates a lighter-style of California Pinot, to better match the food-worthiness of red Burgundy, but his list of food-worthy producers omits most of the best local practitioners of the art.
When I see the authors list of do-gooders, I can see how poor his access must be. Assuming I held his position, which I truly believe grows more irrelevant each day, I could build a much stronger case. Here is a short but vastly more impressive list. These 11 bottlings are culled solely from the Russian River Valley/Sonoma Coast, ignoring five or six other regions.
Chasseur: the Freestone, Umino & Blank bottlings.
Benovia: the Cohn & Bella Una bottlings.
Dutton-Goldfield: the Sanchetti & Freestone bottlings.
Arista: the Mononi & Toboni bottlings.
Russian Hill: the Tara & Leras bottlings.
There are many issues to address in the "Manifesto", but it is extremely hard to even have the discussion unless you get past this first one.
Posted by Don on March 16, 2009 11:20 AM |Permalink
March 10, 2009
Zazu & Zappa
Last week, I described the pleasures of a catered breakfast at Roar Winery in San Francisco. That was a "trade" perk. It seems only fair that I follow that blog with one about a dining experience that wine country visitors can actually enjoy themselves.
Saturday night found me in the Russian River Valley. It was packed with tourists. I wasn't there for the reasons that attracted them, however. I had been obliged to spend my afternoon in San Francisco, missing both the "Russian River Wine Road" barrel tasting and the annual RRV "Crab Fest". What brought me north after missing those enticements was the promise of an evening "Zappa Plays Zappa" concert.
The concert was to begin at 8:00pm, at the Wells Fargo Center on River Road, a short jog from two of my favorite RRV eateries: Underwood's and Zazu. Both are distinctive and delicious, although Underwood's sees me more often, being a super-convenient lunch stop.
Underwood's is a boisterous tavern and a local winemaker hangout. Zasu, located in an an old-fashioned Roadhouse on Guerneville Road, is the quieter and slightly more serious of the two. Its menu is richer and looks its best at the climax of a long day. This time we chose Zazu.
I am a charcuterie lover and Zasu produces its own outstanding cold-cuts, so it's a place where I never miss the appetizer. Happily, we found a sympathetic and efficient waitress and a kitchen staff that was on the ball. Between them they had the appetizer and three courses on our table in 7 minutes.
The appetizer was predictably delicious. It included portions of several salami-like cuts, two cheeses, grilled peppers and some obviously home-made condiments. I followed it with Steamed Mussels in a tasty herbal broth, along with a flavorful Broccoli Rabe side dish.
My Sweetie chose the most exceptional course: a Four-mushroom Risotto, headed by the terrific local trumpet variety. I never fail to order trumpets when I see them on a menu, and they never disappoint. In this case they transported a hearty plate of Risotto into something remarkable. If you ever see these offered when your in the RRV, don't miss them.
I was not drinking, as I was going to have a long drive back to the city, but was pleased to notice that Zazu was pouring the delightfully fruity 2007 Balletto Estate Pinot Noir by the glass. This pretty bottling (one of our current newsletter selections) has just the zest this rich food requires.
Zasu was terrific and I continue to recommend it highly. It was not so wonderful as the concert that followed it though. That took me back to the best days of the 1960s!
Posted by Don on March 10, 2009 4:37 PM |Permalink
March 4, 2009
Breakfast of Champions
I had long-desired a return encounter with Ed Kurtzman, winemaker of Roar, August West and Sandler. Denise (NVWE GM) and I had visited Roar's new San Francisco-based winery months ago, and we were startled by how wonderful Ed's various 2007 wines showed in barrel. Doug, the local distributor for Ed's wines, heard of my desire and approached me with an offer from Ed which could not be refused: a catered breakfast with wine tasting for our whole staff, at Roar!
Well, not all of us were able to make it, but Midori, Zoe, James Jackson and I got lucky. We joined Ed and Doug for a truly delicious repast. It began with lovely crab-filled pastries to match the fabulous August West Chardonnay (see below). It was immediately clear why Caroline Fey (mariposakitchen.com) is Ed's favorite caterer.
She followed the crab goodies with two dozen of the best turnovers I have ever tasted. The mix of dried berries these were stuffed with proved not only delicious, but somehow harmonious with the various Pinot Noirs we were tasting!
We left no turnovers on the plate, which is a tribute to their quality, as the main course was beef tenderloin and eggs baked with cheese! Here are my notes on five of the ten bottlings we imbibed with our "steak and eggs":
2007 August West
Chardonnay
Rosella's Vineyard
Santa Lucia Highlands
This is a stunning Chardonnay, with hard mineral undercurrents and gorgeous flavors of lemon zest, white peach, fresh pear, coconut custard and hints of fresh blossoms. It shows a chiseled precision on the palate, with a creamy texture cut quickly by firming fruit acidity and slate-like minerality, which together bring focus to lingering flavors of Riviera pears and lemon cream. It will be spectacular with cream sauce-based entrees. 94 cases produced.
2007 August West
Pinot Noir
Rosella's Vineyard
Santa Lucia Highlands
Sweet-natured and harmonious, this is a beautiful Pinot, with aromas of Boysenberry, ripe red plum, pink peppercorn, roasted grain, Hunter's broth and hints of powdered sumac. It is less evolved on the palate, where its otherwise creamy texture is tightened by strong mineral strains. Its coiled plum, berry, grain and vanilla flavors linger beautifully however and already give pleasure. If needing three more years to fully express all it has to offer, it will be well worth the wait. 901 cases produced.
2007 Roar
Pinot Noir
Santa Lucia Highlands
Firm, rich and very elegant, the nose of this beauty offers scents of red cherry, pomegranate syrup, dried cranberry, vanilla and hints of smoked meats in a fine harmony. It is plump in texture, as deep as expected on the palate and already quite delicious, with almost heady ripeness. The finish proves more elegant, but just as expressive, with lingering flavors of cherries, red berries, dried fruits, toast, cereal grains, vanilla and smoke. It should grow ever finer over the next two years or so. 820 cases produced.
2007 Roar
Pinot Noir
Garys' Vineyard
Santa Lucia Highlands
Sweetly rich and vividly focused, the aromas of this gorgeous and amazingly forward Pinot are a mix of Bright red cherry, Boysenberry syrup, dried orange peel, vanilla, minerals and hints of tobacco. It is super-rich on the palate and luscious in its ripeness, which carries through a lingering finish of cherry, red plum, pomegranate, vanilla, toast and earth. If ripe enough to almost completely mask its tannins, it never veers into over-ripeness. Almost an equal-opposite of the great, but more reticent (at release) 2004 Roar Garys', it should age more quickly, but will likely achieve the same level of distinction.
2007 Sandler
Pinot Noir
Sonoma Coast
This fine "value" Pinot has a very well-evolved plum, red berry, vanilla, smoke, hint white pepper and mineral nose. Sleek in mouth-feel, it has forthcoming flavors of dark cherry and plum and smoke, with mineral notes in support. Its youth is betrayed at the finish, which is still firmed by youthful acidity, but it should round out nicely if paired with Prime Rib or similar fatty dishes. Expect full maturity in another 12 months or so. 130 cases produced.
These Roar and August West wines are indicative of just how brilliant 2007 was in the Santa Lucia Highlands. The much less expensive Sandler Pinot (Ed's own label), from the Sonoma Coast, showed a similar degree of ripeness. The NVWE consensus was that, overall, these were damn good breakfast wines!