This vibrant, darkly-hued wine tastes as rich as it looks with intense flavors of blackberries, cherries, plums, nuanced with notes of earth and spice. It’s difficult to resist this delicious wine now but it will reward those who cellar it a few years. Among the first releases of winemaker Eric Hickey’s 2007s, a very good vintage, it bodes well for his single vineyard Pinot selections that will be released in January 2010. Pair this with any great steak, grilled lamb chops, game, or pork roast. I love Pinot with bridge ingredients like mushrooms, onions, and berry or pomegranate sauces.
This article appears in Jul 16-23, 2009.