When I think of Pinot Noir I think of Burgundy, Washington State, and lately South America. These two wines re-opened my eyes, nose, and taste buds to the beautiful Pinots that are produced in Sonoma, California.
Sonoma Coast Vineyards Freestone Hills 2009 Pinot Noir and Capiaux Chimera 2009 Pinot Noir. The first paired very well with a wonderful Szechuan dinner at NY Times and WS Journal reviewed Cheng Du 23. The second we enjoyed with a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner with family in Minneapolis.
The critics say:
Wine Enthusiast
90 points, Cellar Selection
"This is a hugely flavored, extracted Pinot Noir, distinctly Californian in its ripeness and size. It’s massive in cherries and raspberries, with hints of cocoa, anise, Indian spices and black pepper. With 60% new French oak, it’s also pretty toasty." - Steve Heimoff August 2010
"The 2009 Freestone Hills captures the unique character of this exceptional vintage while showcasing the purity of the Pinot Noir varietal along with the unique elements of all 3 vineyards. The diverse range of Dijon Clones plus the Pommard have added an extra level of complexity... Dark black cherry and ripe rich black raspberry are framed by elegant spice and forest floor scented aromatics... I am very confident that in time this wine will be one of the finest Pinot Noirs that I have had the pleasure of crafting.
Cheers!" –Anthony Austin, Winemaker, March 30, 2011
Capiaux Chimera Pinot Noir 2009
91 Points - Robert M. Parker, The Wine Advocate
"The lacy, elegant Chimera possesses a fragrant bouquet of spring flowers intermixed with red and blue fruits as well as mossy underbrush characteristics, a round, generous mouthfeel and sweet, silky tannins. Already delicious as well as complex, it can be enjoyed over the next 2-3 years."
88 Points - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
"(aged in 350-liter barrels, 10% of which were new): Dark red. Aromas of black raspberry, chocolate, coffee, menthol and mint. Creamy flavors of dark raspberry and strawberry co-exist uneasily with a slightly tart herbal element. Good fruit-driven wine that suggests components with a wide range of ripeness. Capiaux has expanded production of this cuvee: it now accounts for about 1,200 out of a total of 2,500 cases."
Both fabulous wines that you can find in this area.
