Tanner describes this wine as spot on when it was harvested at two tons per acre. “The most wonderful thing about the 2009 is that it came in looking postcard-perfect, just beautiful,” she remembered. “It spent five extra months in barrel, and the extra time rounded out the mouth beautifully.” A classic Santa Maria Valley Pinot, it’s Burgundian in style with plums, tangy cherry, strawberry, and blackberries quite nicely weaved with notes of spice, earth, and white pepper. Tanner’s wines age very well, so it’s worth cellaring, yet it’s very drinkable now. It’s also wonderful paired with herbed rack of lamb, pan roasted salmon, or grilled quail. Only 199 cases made, it’s at Central Coast Wines, 15 Degrees C, and Tastes of the Valleys in Pismo Beach for $29.
This article appears in Feb 10-17, 2011.
