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2009 Pomarium Estate Pinot noir, Sonoma Coast - 625 cases
Tasting Notes
This is the most exciting Pomarium we have made. Pomarium is known for its aromatics; a floral lift and beguiling nose that leaps out of the glass and is immediately appealing. In previous vintages, the nose may be quite feminine and bright like the 2005 and 2006 cuvées. In 2008, Pomarium was more masculine as the low yields and character of the vintage played its hand. The 2009 Pomarium combines the best of both profiles offering a sexy, feminine lift (Vanessa described it as “virile” with a “hot dude quality, like Brad Pitt”, perhaps it is a matter of perspective) with tremendous depth and complexity (masculine qualities, clearly. Ha.) This is an impressive Pinot noir and will feature in dinners over the next 20 years as it develops into a very special wine.
The nose is quite intense with dried rose petals enveloping a Serrano ham and red berry core. The mouth emphasizes the cured meat, brass and berry aromas adding cherry pipe tobacco, tea, forest floor and cedar notes in the mid-palate. The wine evolves over the 30 minutes in the glass and continues to reveal new aromas including black licorice, cranberry, and sanguine notes. The finish is clean due to very good acidity and lingers for an astonishing amount of time. Although young, the Pomarium is ready to drink now with a decant but we suggest aging it for at least 3 years and holding for 15-20 as it has the tannins, acidity and balance to flourish over time.
2009 Sonoma Coast Pinot noir, Sonoma Coast - 600 cases
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Tasting Notes
The impetus for the Sonoma Coast Pinot noir came from a dinner I had with a college friend. He loved our wines, he said, but he could not afford to drink them every night. I hemmed. I hawed. I talked about the relative value of the dollar. And then I asked, “what if I could give you a delicious Pinot noir at $40 per bottle?” “You bet,” he exclaimed. Now, I had done it. How was I going to be able to make a $40 Pinot noir from our low yields? Nick mentioned a few vineyards nearby and down the ridge and how we could blend them with lots of our Pinot to make a very good wine. The wine would make new friends, perhaps, but we would barely break even. We went for it, anyway. You can never have too many friends.
The 2009 Sonoma Coast Pinot noir is comprised of 70% estate fruit and 30% purchased fruit. While lacking a little of the depth of the Pomarium, the Sonoma Coast Pinot noir is a serious wine and definitely not a slouch. The nose is quite exotic, lifted and pretty with dried orange peel accenting cherry skin and dried pine needle aromas. The cherry and tea flavors are kept in focus by medium plus acidity resulting in quite a well-balanced wine. The length is surprising for a wine at this price point and along with the good acidity, present tannins and low alcohol bodes well for aging potential.
2008 Scallop Shelf Estate Pinot noir, Sonoma Coast
Tasting Notes
The appearance of the 2008 Scallop Shelf is vibrant red and light-hued. The nose reveals dark cherry, spice and violet notes supported by grilled meat (lamb) and brass aromas. Despite its youthfulness, the wine is well-integrated and seamless. This is evident as the fruit aromas build and broaden as the wine carries across the palate. The incredibly long finish has notes of anise, dried pine needles and a lingering flavor of chocolate covered cherries. With air, the fruit profile darkens and becomes more masculine and kirsch-like though not alcoholic or pruny, just deep and powerful. No need to decant though a 30-45 minute breather will allow these deeper aromas to emerge. The wine should age for 7-10 years though we suggest you open a bottle after letting the wine rest from delivery to assess for yourself.
2008 Peay Vineyards Pomarium Estate Pinot noir, Sonoma Coast
Tasting Notes
The name Pomarium (po-mare-ee-um, apple orchard in Latin) harkens to the early 20th century when our hill was planted to Bartlett pears and Gravenstein apples for dried fruit production to feed San Francisco.
The terroir expression due to the vintage trumps clonal style as the 2008 Pomarium is deeper, earthier and more masculine than previous vintages. The complexity gained from very low yields is immediately evident. The nose shows chunky red fruits from the Dijon clones with cedar and bing cherry notes revealing themselves as the wine opens. The tannins are soft but present and provide a framework for the evolving aromas of cranberry, tea, earth, hickory smoke and mushroom. The finish is very long. The 2008 Pomarium has excellent breed and quality. Decant for at least 30 minutes for the fruit aromas to lift and age for 2-3 years for bottle bouquet to develop.
2008 Peay Vineyards Estate Pinot noir, Sonoma Coast
Tasting Notes
The 2008 Estate Pinot is the more intense and full-bodied of our two spring wines with appealing notes of black tea and cedar wrapped around a deep cherry core. The mouth feel is broad and dry with fruity mushroom, graphite, hickory and cherry skin aromas coalescing on the palate. The length is superb with medium tannins and medium plus acidity; a very good expression of our estate pinot in the 2008 vintage. Decant for 30+ minutes before enjoying with food and age for 2-3 years for bottle bouquet to develop.
2007 Scallop Shelf Estate Pinot noir, Sonoma Coast
Tasting Notes
The 2007 Scallop Shelf delivers on the promise of the vintage and our vineyard site. The vines are now 10 years old and have begun to shake off some of their baby fat to reveal more complex, non-fruit based aromas. The nose balances scents of orange pekoe tea, copper and peppery matsutake mushroom with classic pinot notes of cherry and ham. It is an elegant nose with medium concentration and a bright red hue that you can see through.
The mouth also has medium intensity and weight with added flavors of rose hips and black tea. The fruit is more akin to dried blood oranges and plums (not prunes, think pluots!) with clean acidity, a focused mid-palate and moderate tannins. As is customary with the Scallop Shelf, the finish is long. This is a complex wine with finesse. It offers immediate pleasure and may also be aged for 10+ years if you desire aged Pinot characteristics. If you allow a long decant, darker flavors of licorice will come to the fore though a 30-minute decant will allow the aromas to coalesce.
2007 Estate Pinot noir, Sonoma Coast
Tasting Notes
If you ever wished for a little more fruit and richness without sacrificing the acidity or structure of a Peay Pinot noir, then the 2007 Estate may be just the cuvée for you. It is a blend of mostly Dijon 828 and a suitcase selection we call "Boots" as well as a little 115 and a Pommard selection. With this third cuvée we demonstrate how clone 828 and the Boots selection put a slightly different twist on a Peay Pinot noir while still staying true to the vineyard's character.
The Estate Pinot has an intense cherry nose with brown spices, iron, dried needle, and brass highlights. The mouth is round, smooth and full-bodied. The tannins are soft, though present, and support aromas of bright cherry, chocolate, sandalwood and forest floor. There is a touch of anise seed on a very long - minutes long - cherry finish. Though the Estate Pinot noir is richer than Pomarium, the acidity is quite good and the elegance of Pinot noir made from our vineyard is evident. 486 cases produced.
2007 Pomarium Estate Pinot noir, Sonoma Coast
Tasting Notes
The name Pomarium (po-mare-ee-um, apple orchard in Latin) harkens to the early 20th century when our hill was planted to Bartlett pears and Gravenstein apples for dried fruit production to feed San Francisco. The 2007 Pomarium is a blend of 5 clones: 667, 777, 115, Calera and 828. It was fermented in small, open-top fermenters, moved by gravity, aged for 11 months in 35% new French oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered.
The nose explodes with a bright beam of huckleberry, ham, charcuterie, and spice aromas lightly supported by mushroom and brass notes. The nose is intense and forward but feminine, elegant and light on its feet. This is what people mean when they say Pinot noir is all about the nose. The Pomarium is simply gorgeous. The mouth shows some darker fruit flavors, with hints of iodine, peppery matsutake mushroom and dried pine needle flavors carrying across the mid-palate. The tannins are soft and light and the acidity is refreshing. The finish lingers and promises much for those with the patience to age the wine a few more years. 900 cases produced.
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