2009 Fort Ross Fort Ross Vineyard Reserve Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

14.3% alc., pH 3.56, TA 0.55, 303 cases, $65. A barrel selection. 100% de-stemmed. Aged 10 months in 40% new French oak barrels. · Dark and inky in the glass. Very aromatic with scents of blackberry jam, plum pudding, dark red rose petals and seaweed. Compared with the regular Fort Ross Vineyard bottling, this wine has more concentration, more sweetness, more tannin, and more length on the finish. Dark-fruited with subtle spice, the sheer fruit volume tunes out most of the minerality. About as big as Pinot Noir gets without falling into the realm of Syrah. Bigger is not usually better for me, but to its credit, this wine is not jammy. Good (+). Reviewed April 13, 2013

Winery: Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery
From article: Sips of California Pinot Noir: Recently Sampled Wines