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2007 Vintage
Release date: February 2009. Mays Canyon 2007, Russian River Chardonnay Lime, acacia, orange peel, hint of green peppercorn. The acidity dominates the palate on this wine for now but there is plenty of concentration hidden behind it. Freshest, crispest finish of the four. The Tributary 2007, Sonoma Coast Chardonnay Lemon custard, squash blossom, floral notes, earthy tones also. Great, sweet attack after which the acidity explodes in the mouth. It is rich, intense, marvelous wine with a very long finish. The best Tributary so far? Hirsch Vineyard 2007, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir Delicate floral nuances with a stony and peat like quality. A hint of rhubarb lends the wine freshness. As always, this wine is rather slow to evolve in the glass. There is plenty of gras or weight (as the French would say) to the mid palate but the acidity really shines through. The wine blossoms on the finish in a long peacock’s tail that doesn’t want to end. Should easily last 10 years or more Thieriot Vineyard 2007, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir Only a few cases left available. Raspberry, Darjeeling tea, fresh ground pepper, orange peel, mahogany, pastry dough. This is a very dense, rich and structured Thieriot which will reward patience. Much less forward than the 2006 version. Summa Vineyard 2007, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir SOLD OUT Wonderfully intense bouquet of black fruits, crushed berries, forest floor, black pepper, orange zest, oriental spices, slightly medicinal. Very rich and full on the palate with the gentlest tannins of any of the wines and a very long finish. Mays Canyon 2007, Russian River Pinot Noir There were two lots of Mays Pinot in 2007 and at bottling we thought the whole cluster version (which had 12%) had the edge. The blend of the two reminds us of the 2004 (high praise), combining real fruit intensity of alpine strawberries, sassafras, forest floor notes, raw meat, cola and whole cluster derived spices. The wine is medium weight with fine acidity and real elegance. The tannins are significant and patience will be rewarded. Not for those who are in a rush to drink it tomorrow. Cerise Vineyard 2007, Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Chicory, clove, dried cherry, black tea, forest floor, there is great aromatic complexity here. Substantial tannin dominates the sweetness for now but the wine is not at all drying. Patience. Incidentally the 2006 version of this wine currently looks like one of the stars of the vintage. Roman Vineyard 2007, Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Only a few cases left available. This is perhaps the most aromatically exotic of the 2007s: orange peel, earth, mahogany, pepper, graphite all leap out of the glass. If those descriptors sound a bit like Thieriot or Summa descriptors, indeed they are. This tremendous aroma volume gives way to a very sweet attack and a rich palate that finishes on fine grained tannins. We are certainly happy that we have leased the property and look forward to years of fine production from this special site. The Haven 2007, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir Berries everywhere: blackberry, blueberry, huckleberry, violets, slightly confectionary, black and red licorice, fern leaf, on the palate this is a very intense and concentrated wine without being heavy. As always this has the best acidity of the Pinots. Significant but integrated tannin with a very long finish. Everything is there; it just needs time to come together. updated 01/10
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