Fall 2008
Freestone Guest Center Opens to the Public
After completing extensive renovations and meeting numerous regulatory requirements, we are delighted to announce that our Freestone Vineyards Guest Center is now open!
Located at the intersection of Bohemian and Bodega Highways in the hamlet of Freestone a few miles west of Sebastapol, our winter hours are Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. No appointment is needed, but for groups of six or more, we encourage you to call ahead so we can better prepare for your arrival. For further information call the Guest Center at 707-874-1010 or go to: www.freestonevineyards.com.
Freestone itself is a little jewel tucked into the rolling hills of western Sonoma County between Bodega Bay and Sebastapol on Highway 12. It is also a state-designated Historical District and retains much of the charm of its rural 19th century roots.
In addition to our tasting room, Freestone boasts an eclectic antique shop, a nationally famous, Zen-inspired day spa called “Osmosis” and the celebrated Wild Flour Bakery. The waves of the Pacific Ocean are only eight miles away, and it is easy to put together a day trip filled with wine, food, and spectacular scenery. Our ongoing mission at Freestone is to create an independent wine estate for Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, using the same pioneering spirit and innovative model upon which Joseph Phelps Vineyards was founded in 1973. We believe that in Freestone, we have discovered the perfect spot to achieve this.
In 2006 a blind tasting of six California Pinot Noirs and six Burgundies, the first and second place winners were from the Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley, respectively. The tasting was attended by Robert Parker, who declared, “When I started all this in 1978, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that California would be making the quality of Pinot Noir it has been producing for the past decade. The emergence of world class Pinot Noir growing regions around California truly is one of the greatest wine stories in the last fifty or so years.”
At Freestone Vineyards, we are excited to be participants in this challenging and historic movement to create new world Pinot Noirs that rival their Burgundian counterparts. Already our young vines are producing wines of good balance and pure regional flavors, with great potential for the years to come.
We hope you’ll visit us in Freestone, taste a glass of wine, and share in the excitement!
A Message From Bill Phelps
October 28, 2008. Fall is most definitely in the air in wine country. As I write this, mornings are getting chillier and the sun is setting noticeably earlier. The last of this year’s grapes were harvested on Thursday, October 23. At both Freestone Vineyards and Joseph Phelps Vineyards, we are all excited about the quality of the 2008 vintage and are sure we’ll have some wonderful wines to share with you in the future.
Change is also in the air: as reported earlier in this newsletter, we are thrilled to announce Ashley Hepworth’s promotion to the position of Winemaker at Joseph Phelps. She has been an invaluable member of our team for many years, and you’ll no doubt get a chance to see more of her at dinners, tastings, and events going forward.
We all are looking forward to celebrating the holidays of November and December. In the spirit of celebration and thanksgiving, I want to express my gratitude to the countless people who have made 2008 a memorable year.
The continued support of our customers – at all levels, including club members, distribution partners, and so many others – has been remarkable, especially in view of the extremely challenging state of the global economy.
Most important to me personally has been the support, friendship, dedication and professionalism of all the people who work at Joseph Phelps Vineyards and Freestone Vineyards. We believe we have the finest team of employees in the world of wine, and that their contributions are abundantly on display every time you open one of our bottles.
In that spirit, I send the best wishes of the extended Phelps family to all of you who enjoy our wines worldwide.
Ashley Hepworth Promoted to Winemaker
On October 28, 2008, Bill Phelps, president of Joseph Phelps Vineyards, and Damian Parker, Director of Winemaking, announced that Ashley Hepworth has been promoted to winemaker.
Ashley joined Phelps in 1999 as a harvest intern, and stayed to become laboratory technician and enologist. In 2004 she was promoted to Associate Winemaker, working closely with Damian overseeing day-to-day winemaking operations.
Ashley attended Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado where she earned a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. Her passion for wine is matched by her love of fine food, and her college years were marked by positions in the kitchens of some of Durango’s finest restaurants, and later celebrated chef Charlie Trotter in Chicago.
In 2006, to further her education, Ashley earned a Winemaking Certificate from the Viticulture and Enology Department at the University of California at Davis.
Ashley reflects on her years at JPV: “The quality that Phelps has created in our estate vineyards is exceptional,” she explains. “Working together with the talented vineyard and production teams and creating world class wines is an honor. Every day as a team we explore ways to improve our winegrowing and winemaking practices. I am proud to be part of Joseph Phelps and its future."
New Vineyard Strategies Improve Wine Quality
By Philippe Pessereau
Director of Vineyard Operations
Through consistent refinement in our approach to farming and winemaking, we are heralding a new era of improved fruit and wine quality. Since our philosophy is based on the belief that fine wine is elaborated in the vineyard, we have embarked on new farming approaches since 2006.
We believe that healthy soils are the foundation for healthy vines. Since 2004, we are farming a portion of our acreage 100% biodynamically, enabling us to focus on the soil for vine fertility and resulting in a true expression of the terroir in the harvested fruit. Moreover, since vines farmed biodynamically grow in harmony with their site, they can be smaller in size. As a consequence, we have begun to increase plant density to favor vine competition at the root level and also to boost root exploration for minerals, nutrients and water at a deeper soil profile. These vines bear fewer clusters than in a lower density setting and thus produce fruit of more concentrated quality.
We are also modifying our vineyard architecture in terms of sun exposure. To mitigate heat impact on fruit exposed to afternoon sun, we are orientating vine rows to magnetic north whenever feasible. Therefore, clusters located on the afternoon side of the vineyard row are less exposed to direct sun impact.
When developing new vineyards, we design the blocks based on a soil map. Hence, we plant and establish new irrigation blocks according to soil type and texture. This allows for more uniform vine health within the block and ultimately for optimum fruit maturation and quality at harvest.
Finally, since blending together certain blocks of clones at harvest yield finer wines, we now interplant multiple clones within the same block. Using a form of selection massale (taking cuttings from healthy vines) we create a diverse clone population within a single vineyard block for unique wine quality.Notes from the 2008 Vintage
By Damian Parker
Director of Winemaking
For the second year in a row, the 2008 growing season experienced below-normal rainfall. Budbreak occurred from March 30th to April 14th, when freezing temperatures required us to turn on our frost protection 29 times – a record, according to German Corro, our Vineyard manager of 34 years. We were on a weather roller coaster ride, as temperatures spiked to 100°F during the bloom period. Philippe explains in his report (later in this newsletter) the effect this had on the berries.
On August 14, harvest began with Sauvignon Blanc, which showed great flavor and balance. After whole cluster pressing and a day of settling, the juice was transferred to 132-gallon puncheons and 60-gallon barrels for fermentation.
By the time Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier had been picked, veraison was just finishing in most of our red vineyards. Flavor, color and tannin development were now fully under way.
The first red grapes (Merlot) came in from our Las Rocas Vineyard on September 5th. After that, the weather cooled and morning fog slowed picking. Allowing for the normal variance from lot to lot, fruit harvested during this period showed bright fruit flavors, good pH and acid balance, and great tanning and color.
Over the next two weeks, the weather was near perfect. By October 11th, as I write this, we have harvested a total of 669 tons, and a gorgeous Indian summer has arrived, with daytime temperatures hovering around 85°F. Picking should conclude around October 23rd, with a total of 800 tons harvested for the season.
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Postscript: As we observe the progress of wines picked during the latter half of the growing season, we see that they are developing more flavor, color and tannin, due to the extra time spent on the vine. Even at this early stage, the wines show outstanding balance, depth and elegance.
One of the many benefits of having vineyards from St. Helena to the city of Napa and on both sides of the valley, is the diversity and complexity they contribute to our blends. Both winemaker Ashley Hepworth and I are excited about the promise of these new wines, and offer profound thanks to our vineyard and production team for once again bringing harvest at JPV to a successful conclusion.
By Philippe Pessereau
Director of Vineyard Operations
The 2008 growing season was startling and provoking, yet yielded fruit of refined quality.
With a lower than normal rainfall this season again this winter, and the longest cold and frosty spring experienced since 1971, the beginning of 2008 was unusually challenging.
After normal budbreak and a cold April, from May 16 – 18 we experienced incredibly high temperatures in the midst of bloom. Such drastic weather changes led to plant hormone imbalances which prompted flower fertilization to abort in some Cabernet clones, causing the phenomenon known as shatter. However, unlike the Cabernet, this year’s Merlot was totally immune to shatter.
Following flowering, we observed a return to more clement temperatures. Moderate, consistent weather in June, July and August promoted even and healthy vine development despite a few heat spikes. As a result of normal phonological development, berry set occurred swiftly and led the way to véraison. The onset of berry color also arrived quickly but lasted a bit longer than normal.
We noted that heat impact on berries of clusters located on the noon or afternoon side showed delayed pigment development due to higher than normal berry skin temperatures. Indeed, clusters exposed to the morning sun completed véraison almost twice as fast as their counterpart on the p.m. side.
Fortunately, by the time véraison unfolded, we had kept all basal leaves in the fruit zone to act as sun shade on those afternoon side clusters. Furthermore, to reduce plant water stress in favor of fruit development, we kept vines under optimum hydration levels. This enabled us to carry véraison through completion.
As a result of fruit shatter observed during post bloom there was a conspicuous amount of secondary clusters in many parcels. These had to be removed to concentrate all vine efforts on the primary clusters.
One beneficial aspect of this vintage was the cool nighttime temperatures which are crucial to plant recovery from daytime heat stress and also enable the vines to continue their growth.
Harvest officially began on August 14th with Sauvignon Blanc. Then, late August and early September yielded two more heat waves which hastened sugar accumulation in the fruit. With properly timed irrigation, we were able to maintain fruit health, allowing optimal maturation of the ripening grapes.
2008 Fall Releases
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Backus Vineyard
BLEND & GRAPE SOURCE: 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec from the estate-owned Backus Vineyard in Oakville.
WINEMAKER'S NOTES: Grapes were harvested Sept. 29, 30 and Oct. 7 at an average 25° Brix, fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged 24 months in new French oak barrels and bottled without filtration in January, 2008.
The 2005 Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon yielded a classic, more European-style wine early on as it aged in barrel. The wine evolved slowly, showing beautiful weight and aromatics after one year which continued to increase after the second year. The result is a deeply ruby colored wine with hints of graphite, freshly ground espresso bean, crushed stones, ripe dark berries and plum, all of which contribute to an enticing bouquet. The texture is layered with ripe, well-integrated tannins along with a velvety, seamless finish. The 2005 wines are sure to be long lived.Click here to read more.
2005 Insignia
BLEND & GRAPE SOURCES: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot from estate-owned vineyards in Rutherford (30%), South Napa (22%), St. Helena (17%), Oakville (17%) and Stag’s Leap (14%).
WINEMAKER'S NOTES: Grapes were harvested between September 19 – November 1, 2005 at an average 25.0° Brix, fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels from coopers Taran-saud, Dargaud Jaegle, Nadalie, Demptos and Vicard.
The 2005 vintage was a year in which the wine was more austere early on, almost “Bordeaux”-like. After two years in barrel, the wine blossomed, showing amazing depth, texture and vibrant fruit qualities. Deeply colored, concentrated and layered, with floral, anise, black cherry and graphite aromas, this wine is classically structured with excellent acidity, well-balanced tannins and a mouth-staining, persistent finish.Click here to read more.
2006 Merlot
BLEND & GRAPE SOURCES: 76% Napa Valley Merlot and 24% Cabernet Sauvignon from estate-grown vineyards.
WINEMAKER'S NOTES: Grapes were harvested between Sept. 27 – Oct. 19 at an average 25.5° Brix, fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged 18 months in a combination of new French oak barrels (40%) and one to two-year-old French oak (60%), before being blended and bottled in June, 2008.
The 2006 Merlot is layered with aromas and flavors of blackberry, red plum, tobacco, anise and cedar, which lead the way to a delicate tannin structure and velvety finish.Click here to read more.
2007 Sauvignon Blanc
BLEND & GRAPE SOURCES: 100% estate-grown Sauvignon Blanc from our Spring Valley ranch outside of St. Helena.
WINEMAKER'S NOTES: Grapes were harvested August 17 – 21 at an average 23.0° Brix, then barrel fermented and subsequently aged for ten months in a combination of new French oak barrels and puncheons (33%); one to three-year-old French oak (55%) and stainless steel drums (12%). The lees were stirred both during fermentation and after alcoholic fermentation and the wine was bottle in June 2008.
Aromatic notes of pink grapefruit, lime blossom and honeydew are layered with hints of spice and caramel, creating a creamy, floral, focused finish.
Click here to read more.
Freestone Pinot Noir Makes Broadway Debut
Nearly 200 of the finest West Coast wineries poured their highly rated wines October 16 and 17, at the California Wine Experience held at Marriott Marquis in Manhattan. Thousands of enthusiasts from around the world gathered in Times Square for the annual event presented by Wine Spectator.
Insignia is a perennial favorite at the Grand Tastings, and the crowd of guests assembled around Phelps booth was treated to the newly released 2005 vintage by JPV National Sales Manager Kathleen Dirickson.
Making its New York City debut, Freestone Vineyards, represented by Bill Phelps, poured the 2006 Freestone Pinot Noir.
In a year of firsts for our new Sonoma Coast winery, the California Wine Experience provided the perfect backdrop for Freestone Vineyard’s first event outside our home state. In the company of California’s top producers, before an audience of consumers, wine industry trade and media, under the lights of Broadway, Freestone Pinot Noir opened to rave reviews.
JPV Guest Center Expands Wine Seminars to Weekends
By Stpehn Pavy
Director of Hospitality & Wine Education
Many of our Phelps Preferred members told us that they could not come up during the week to enjoy our in-depth wine seminars, so we decided to offer them on Saturday and Sunday, at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. (Mon. – Fri. the times remain at 11:00 am and 2:30 pm.)
Your Phelps Preferred membership entitles you to up to four complimentary tastings per visit in a seminar or terrace tasting setting. Each seminar also includes a tasting of current vintages, including Insignia. Here is a recap of all the seminars offered:
- Insignia Blending Seminar: Taste, compare, and blend barrel samples from our top “Insignia block” sites. These are the components that go into our Insignia.
- Le Nez Seminar: Hone your sommelier skills on our “Aroma Identity” tour, where your olfactory senses will be challenged by up to 12 different aromas.
- The History & Terroir of Insignia: We will look at 32 years of making Insignia, how the blend has changed over the years, and what makes our Insignia wine so unique. The “Insignia blocks” of various Joseph Phelps Vineyards will be discussed in detail as we explore how our Bordeaux blend is made.
- Barrel Seminar: What role does the “barrel” play in the overall production of a wine? In this seminar we will explore winemaking in general and the specific part that the barrel holds in the production of a wine. This fun seminar has a “Le Nez” component as well as a tasting our Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that was kept in three different barrels.
- Wine Appreciation Seminar: This seminar leads guests through an exploration of wine’s appeal to all the senses. You can also sharpen your skills on wine history, tradition, proper serving, storage, and evaluation.
Call 800-707-5789 to make your reservation. We look forward to seeing you!
JPV Loses Molly Briton to Motherhood
With the birth of Caroline Belle Britton on April 15, Molly Briton, long-time JPV employee, has decided to become a stay-at-home mom.
Many of our newsletter readers know Molly from the years she spent hosting JPV visitors and Phelps Preferred members beginning with her job as Director of Customer Service in 1996. In 2002 she was promoted to Hospitality Director, supervising the retail sales and hospitality staff, as well as coordinating and overseeing special events.
Molly’s last day at work was September 30th. Stephen Pavy, JPV’s retail sales manager, has taken over as Hospitality Director.
A Napa Valley native, Molly and her husband Scott live in Napa.Enologist Kelly Fields Reports on JPV going Green
By Kelly Fields, Enologist
Joseph Phelps Vineyards has always been concerned and aware of our company’s environmental impact. Bill Phelps, our president, has long encouraged ‘green’ choices throughout the winery and we are proud to announce that we have formalized a system we call “Green” winery practices. Our main goal is to make world class wines, but in the process, we also want to be more environmentally responsible and sustainable by reducing our carbon footprint.
As many people know, we have farmed a large part of our vineyards biodynamically since 1999 and so far we have over 50% that are 100% biodynamic. This involves eliminating the use of pesticides while increasing the number of beneficial plants and animals so our vineyards can work in unison with nature to improve vine and fruit quality with no negative impact on the environment. JPV has just been Fish Friendly Farming certified in three of our seven vineyards and will be getting the other four vineyards certified in the next few years. (See next article.) We have also been a part of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance self assessment program since 2002. Both of these programs encourage winegrowers to be environmentally responsible and sustainable.
With our new ‘green’ implementation, guests at JPV will notice a few changes around the tasting room and winery. All water bottles will now go directly into clearly labeled recycle containers. Most of our paper products and office supplies contain post recycled material, and disposable items are now postable or biodegradable, such as utensils made of a corn base to eliminate non-recyclable plastic.
All the standard items such as plastic, glass, aluminum, cardboard and paper is recycled, as well as corks, foils, shrink-wrap and bubble-wrap. In our summer bottling run we recycled over 600 lbs of shrink-wrap that was diverted from the garbage.
At JPV we are all working and learning new ways to be more sustainable and environmental. We will be getting solar panels at Innisfree, our production building, and retrofitting the lighting to be more energy efficient. Our landscaping is composed mainly of drought resistant, native plants and we have precise irrigation strategies in the vineyards to eliminate unnecessary watering.
Over the past four years JPV has changed all of the janitorial cleaning products to environmentally friendly non-toxic and chlorine free to eliminate the use of toxic chemicals. All winery sanitation and cleaning products are chlorine free as well.
We also believe that education is very important: on our intra-company website we have a ‘green folder’ that is updated with new green ideas and what we can do as a company and in our personal lives to be more sustainable.
At JPV we are proud to see the fruits of our labor by having reduced our garbage pickups by half and increased our recycling by 50% in this past summer alone. We look forward to continue to find new ways to become a greener, more sustainable winery and hopefully a role model for others to do the same.
JPV Certified for Fish Friendly Farming
By Sarah Black
Fish Friendly Farming is a voluntary certification program for vineyard properties that are managed to restore fish and wildlife habitat and improve water quality.
Joseph Phelps Vineyards is proud to announce our participation and recent certification in the Fish Friendly Farming program, also known as Napa Green. Three of our seven Napa Valley vineyards are certified as of September and we will continue to be participants with a goal of achieving certification in all of our vineyards.
Being enrolled in the program gives us the opportunity to work with technical experts and complete a unique Farm Conservation Plan which addresses the features and conditions of a specific property. A strategy for beneficial management practices is drawn up to guide the improvement of land management, and create projects for a specific property.
To learn more about the program, log on to their website at www.fishfriendlyfarming.org.
Spring Valley Times to go Electronic
The Spring Valley Times is mailed to over 40,000 people! In an effort to reduce paper, we are going to transition the newsletter to electronic format only. It is currently sent through the mail and posted on our website, and we hope you will send us your email address so we can notify you when the newsletter is ready to view on-line and you can continue to enjoy it.
If you would like to receive this notification, go to the “Contact Us” section at www.josephphelps.com, and click on “Join our mailing list.”
845 Main Street in Half Moon Bay, CA
650-726-4090
www.cetrella.com
Located in the heart of quaint downtown Half Moon Bay, Cetrella captures the spirit of this storied Peninsula community. Occupying what was once the headquarters for the Half Moon Bay Growers Association, the ties to local farmers and fishermen remain strong and the building’s heritage as a community gathering place lives on with Cetrella.
Since opening, Cetrella has received critical acclaim for its cuisine and was also awarded Restaurant of the Year in 2005 by Santé magazine. Joining n September of 2008, Executive Chef Blair Warsham brings more than 10 years of experience to Cetrella and previously held positions at several well-known Bay Area restaurants. “In Half Moon Bay we are lucky to have access to many local farms which I like to recognize on Cetrella’s menu,” Warsham says, adding, “I let the ingredients from these farms speak for themselves.”
The Cetrella kitchen creates virtually everything in-house, from producing its own charcuterie, smoking its own fish, baking its own bread and making pasta to creating its own ice creams and sorbets.
The wine list at Cetrella has received the prestigious “Award of Excellence” from Wine Spectator each year since 2004 and the restaurant has been recognized by the local community in the Half Moon Bay Review as having the city’s best bar/club, cocktail & wine selections in a reader’s poll. The list, containing more than 400 global selections, complements Chef Warsham’s Mediterranean-inspired cuisine.Sample Menu
Appetizers
Wild Arugula & Calif Bosc Pear Salad
Cypress Grove fresh goat cheese, toasted walnuts, wild flower honey vinaigrette
Butternut Squash n’ Pumpkin Soup
Smoked paprika, spiced pumpkin seeds rosemary
Hawaiian Hamachi Tartare
Mediterranean cucumber, Baia Nicchia Farms cherry tomato vinaigrette
Main Courses
Wood Oven Fired Fall Vegetables
Heirloom Kabocha, butternut and patty pan squash, couscous, cardamom-scented yogurt, spiced pumpkin seeds, house-made flatbread, Romano beans
Devils Gulch Rabbit
Confit of leg and roasted tenderloin with orange-scented wild rice, Bloomsdale spinach & natural jus
Seared Cypress Island Salmon
Lobster saffron broth, shaved fennel, manilla clams, sauce rouille
Desserts
Warm Scharffenberger Chocolate Cake
Hot chocolate ice cream, bitter-sweet toffee
Orange Creamside Crème Brulée
Served with Valencia orange shortbread
Upside Down Pumpkin Cake
Cranberry, caramel and walnut topping with brown butter ice cream
Peach Tarte Tatin
Vanilla ice cream, fresh blackberries
Featured Recipe
Moroccan Spiced Lamb Chops
Ingredients for Moroccan Spice:
1 tsp coriander seed
1 tsp cumin seed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
¼ cup mint, chopped
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
2 tbl honey
2 tbl fresh lemon juice
2 tbl red wine vinegar
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
Procedure:
Toast and mill cumin and coriander, blend all other ingredients and set aside. Go to your nearest specialty foods market and ask for Domestic Lamb Racks (4 bones per person.) Season lamb rack with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil, then grill fat side down for approx. 6-8 min. for medium rare. Once desire temperature and doneness are reached, brush liberally with Moroccan Spice. Let rest for 5 min. If you do not have a grill, sear lamb rack over medium-high heat and finish in a 500° oven for approx. 3-5 min.
For Presentation:
Slice and serve over favorite accompaniments such as cous-cous, eggplant puree or ratatouille.
Recommended Wine: 2000 Joseph Phelps Insignia (vintage subject to availability)
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Joseph Phelps 2005 Backus Cabernet Sauvignon (Oakville) Shows off a distinctive minty herbal character and is dry and firmly structured on the palate, with glimpses of red currant and black cherry peeking through. Yet this is tight, focused, concentrated and balanced, and once it’s past this phase, it should provide plenty of excitement. Best from 2011 through 2017. J.L. Joseph Phelps 2005 Insignia (Napa Valley) Smooth, supple and complex, offering wonderful aromas and serving up a range of herb- and mineral-laced currant, black cherry, blackberry, sage and pebble notes. Ends with a clipped edge… J.L. |
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Joseph Phelps 2005 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine (Napa Valley) Highly complex nose melds currant, black licorice, lead pencil, mocha, bitter chocolate and fresh herbs. Deep and sweet in the middle, with juicy acidity giving shape to concentrated, silky flavors of cassis and dark chocolate. This, too, is downright Bordeaux-like. Finishes with broad, lush tannins and excellent length… |
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Freestone Vineyards 2006 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast) Firm and intense. Spicy wild berry, loamy earth, dusty herb sage and mineral notes fan out nicely, gaining depth and dimension on the long, complex finish. Best from 2010 through 2017. J.L. |
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Freestone Vineyards 2006 Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast) (Tasted from tank.) Pale gold. Aromas of pineapple, nectarine and butterscotch, lifted by a whiff of lemon drop. Dense and firm-edged, with a distinctly saline quality adding interest to the nectarine and mineral flavors. Racy acidity really carries the fruit… Serious Chardonnay in the making. Freestone Vineyards 2006 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast) Perfumed aromas of coffee liqueur, mint and cherries macerated in alcohol. Sweet, sappy and complex, with chewy flavors of blueberry, black cherry, brown spices and dried herbs. This, too, boasts very good acidity and lift. |
