(Also posted on another forum)
14.2% alcohol. Forms legs on the glass. Purple with crimson glints. Not opaque but still somewhat dense. Nose of black cherries and other dark fruits. Invades the nasal passages as a welcome guest.
Chewy and rich mid-palate with black cherry and boysenberry flavors. Just delicious on its own but could be paired with duck or Cornish hen or rabbit. I did try it with Cheshire cheese and lightly breaded lemon chicken. It worked better with the chicken than with the cheese. Lengthy finish.
Definitely one of my favorite CA Pinot Noirs ever. Will have to compare the 2000 vintage of this with a 2004 Williams Selyem Russian River Valley P.N., perhaps in 2008.
Small production using eight different clones. Label proclaims extraction but this is still a balanced wine that shows no signs of fading at age eight. Winemaker is Melissa Moravec.
I have two bottles each left of the '98, '99 and '00. Will probably open another '98 Memorial Day weekend.