Click on a vintage for tasting notes and to read more about the wines.

2001 – The year of the Spice. Great concentration and aging potential.

Another round of frost damage, as well as uneven ripeness, the weather being unusual in its extreme see-saw ups and downs. We passed four times in the vines, picking only perfectly ripe fruit, and the result is very promising indeed. The wine shows more power and depth than the 1999 and more fruit intensity than the 2000, with an additional spicy dimension at the finish. Slow to mature, this wine is made for the long haul. Real power and intensity with no over-ripeness or out-of-balance alcohol content!

Tasting Date:   6/20/2007 – If you have read so far, you know the drill: ...still crawling towards full maturity; still showing tremendous promise for further things to come. It now shows very intense, concentrated fruit (that is in the traditional "old world" meaning of fruit, not the current super-ripe over-the-top all-upfront sense of the word), huge structure for a Pinot, but no harshness or astringency: a mouthfull of minerals, complex spices, "crushed rocks" as some people refer to it, with super long, rich finish. And why don't I think of it as fully mature? Because the aromatics are still youthful, even primary for the most part, and have a long way to go on and unfurl. I am sure you are aware of the fact that few agree on the point as which any single wine is "at its peak"; based on my own subjective taste and habbits, I would estimate this wine is still 3-5 years away from that point, perhaps even longer.

Tasting Date:   5/30/2004 – Reluctantly, this giant is crawling towards maturity. Still very structured and intense, it is however gradually loosing its rough edges... Revealing a lush velvety texture underneath and beautiful purity of flavor. The length is mind boggling. Ideally, this should still rest for a few years...

Tasting Date:   12/1/2003 – Essence of black cherry and rose petal; the tannins seems to start melting now, but it is still years away from its peak. The flavor intensity is amazing.

Tasting Date:   1/1/2003 – Very dark color; big, concentrated, large-boned, very intense, this wine is certainly very young. A little disjointed now and rough at the edges, it seems to have all it takes to make a great bottle in a few years time. I would drink the 00 now while waiting for this one.