by JC (NC) » Thu May 01, 2014 11:16 pm
Russian River Valley, CA. 14.4% abv. From Pommard clone and a hillside vineyard farmed by Phil Flax. For a Pinot Noir, this wine is very dark, dense and opaque purple in the glass. On the nose I am finding dark plumskin while the palate conveys dark slightly tart cherries and some herbal nuances, perhaps tea leaves. This has a nice acid balance as a counterpoint to rich fruit presence and a lengthy finish. It is drinking well now. I paired it with salmon and a tossed salad the first evening and with broiled lamb chop and baked potato the second evenng. It stood up to the lamb although duck breast might have been a better pairing. I have a Williams Selyem Flax Vineyard Pinot Noir from the same vintage and may open it this week to compare.
