It was very rewarding and a joy to craft this vintage of the Quail Hill Pinot Noir because we saw a beautiful wine emerge from a vintage that was so nerve wracking and where potential quality was not so immediately apparent. What we have in this wine is taut highly aromatic expression of our estate vineyard where elegance, balance, and structure are all seamlessly interwoven. While the color is “moderate” versus intensely deep, color has never been what this wine is about. Aroma and perfume are what sets this wine apart, and those qualities are more pronounced than any recent vintage. There is wonderful purity in the fruit and spice notes with strawberry, currant, red raspberry, and orange pekoe tea complementing the more classic cherry cola, baking spice, and floral characters. Flavors are nicely in line with the aromas and additionally include slight “pencil shavings” reduction, wet stone mineral notes, and very subtle well integrated toasty oak. The texture here is still youthfully firm but with a vibrant energy that clearly tells you its best days are ahead. Tannins are grainy but balanced and work with the brisk acidity that to yield an exceptionally long, flavorful finish. Like most of our top 2006’s, this wine will be enjoyable upon release but will really benefit from further bottle age until at least the spring or fall of 2009, with more complexity developing during cellaring through at least 2012.

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Our “Bliss Block” Pinot Noir is from a unique part of the estate and in one of the coolest pockets of the property. From the very beginning this vineyard block gave us wines of a highly distinctive and individualistic quality. It was also a vineyard block that begged to be farmed fully organically, which we now do and are committed to continue. This is our first block designate from Quail Hill Vineyard since 1999.

The appearance here is immediately enticing being medium deep ruby-purple with a strong violet halo. On opening the nose is earthy and smoky, revealing red and black cherries and ripe raspberries once the wine gets a little air. Upon further opening there emerges additional complexity with notes of spicy, toasty oak and mushroom slowly becoming evident. The palate is bright and attractive, and clearly very drinkable right now! The flavors are full of summer fruits (red and black crushed fruit), with creamy cedar and subtle herbal accents. The texture has lovely balance, between fine acidity and elegant silky tannins providing good length and a fresh finish. This wine is approachable now, and can be drunk with or without food. However, this vintage will improve for at least 5 years (through 2013), during which time we expect to see the continuation of the fine balance between fruit-driven
and earthy complexity which sets this wine apart.

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For the 2006 vintage, the Quail Hill vineyard gave us bright yellow-green gold color in the glass, leading into a complex nose of toast, peaches & cream, bread, acacia, and hazelnuts. The aromas are fresh and compelling with noticeable intensity and focus. The palate is full bodied and rich yet elegant in mouthfeel. Just the right amount of “classic” reduction and toasty oak are wrapped around notes of apricots, white pepper, ripe lemons and orange blossom. The richness here is well balanced by good acidity and solid depth of fruit. There is a long, well structured finish that echoes the freshness of the nose and is quite appealing. This wine is approachable now but will keep and improve for at least 5 years more through 2013.

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At first glance, the appearance here shows a stunning deep ruby-purple color with a vibrant violet rim – clearly youthful and brooding. Upon opening, the nose is amazing, displaying elusive floral-violet notes, deep black cherry, subtle smoke, and hints of jasmine tea. With air and time in the glass there also emerge rich and elegant aromas of game, mushroom and spice. The palate has an excellent balance of silky fine grained tannin and refreshing coastal acidity, together providing a very classy structure. The core of fruit within is complex, intense and pure…black cherry, violets, mushroom and game are just the beginning. The finish is long and fresh with lovely tannic grip and just the right amount lingering toasty oak. This wine is a beautiful example of the vintage showcasing both the best of Russian River Valley along with the structure and spice of the “True” Sonoma Coast.

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Brooding ruby-purple color that leads to intense aromas of dark cherry fruit beautifully highlighted by spice, leather and toast. The structure and fruit clearly express the wonderful terroir of the “true Sonoma Coast” as this vineyard is right on the border of the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast appellations. Fine grained, grippy, silken tannins are wrapped around layers of red and black berry fruit, and hints of truffle. The balance between fruit, acid and oak influence is ideal, with excellent length delivering a powerful finish. This lovely wine is approachable now, but will improve with bottle age for at least 5 years and will keep easily for 3-5 more.

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Just 240 cases produced.
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The 2007 Jenkins Vineyard Pinot Noir is our first Pinot Noir release from this much anticipated vintage. As the Jenkins Pinot Noir is often among the first of our Pinot Noir releases, it is fitting that this wine sets the stage for the staggering quality you will soon see as the remaining 2007 Pinot Noirs are released over the next year. This third vintage from Jenkins Vineyard blends the best qualities of the last two - the intensity and richness of the 2005, and the fruit, purity, and finesse of the 2006. Aromas truly leap from the glass and immediately captivate, with primary notes of cherry and raspberry, accented with both red and dark fruit elements. There is also is a deft touch of toasty oak which adds spice and complexity, but in no way competes with the intensity of fruit. There is also a hint of cola on the palate, which is not usually something we see in fruit from this area, but is a classic quality of Russian River
Valley Pinot. The texture here embodies what will be set the 2007 wines apart from other recent vintages - there is thickness and density without heaviness. This remarkable quality allows the wine to embrace its concentration and intensity and flaunt it, since it is never clumsy or awkward on the palate. While still obviously exuberantly youthful, we expect this wine to begin showing at its best during the summer of 2009 and to reward careful cellaring through 2014 and beyond.

Accolades:

• 91 POINTS - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, May/June 2008

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Just 240 cases produced.
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As our only Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, our Terra de Promissio offering has a very distinctive sensory profile and texture.  While obviously still in its youth, this wine is not surprisingly just a bit muted when first opened.  With only a little air and breathing, however, wonderfully expansive notes of dark fruits and classic Sonoma Coast baking spice begin emerging in waves, followed by a complex array of pure berry and cherry aromas, exotic Asian spices, and subtle toasty oak nuances.  In the mouth, this wine has an ideal balance between force, intensity and balance.  While the fruit flavors echo the aromas in their dark, brooding intensity, there is at the same time an elegance from the cool, slow-ripening vintage where added dimension was gained without any hint of overripe character.  The moderate clay in the soils at this site give this wine a tannin structure notably distinctive from our Russian River Valley offerings (as it should), with such transparency and expression of origins being the beauty of Pinot Noir. There is a healthy amount of young, grippy tannins here that give length to the finish and promote all the spicy, dark fruit aromas and flavors to linger for many seconds. While this wine could be enjoyed as early as this summer with decanting and bolder summer foods, it will not begin to show at its best until the fall and winter of 2009-2010 and should reward careful cellaring through at least 2016.

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The Five Sisters Pinot Noir is a tribute to the sibling bond of my five daughters. This blend of the finest barrels from Lynmar’s Estate and offsite vineyards mirrors the synergy and complexity of the relationship that exists among these very special sisters. True to the Lynmar philosophy, the Five Sisters Pinot Noir is a wine which illustrates that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Handcrafted in minute quantities only when vintage and quality warrant, this wine continues the Five Sisters tradition of presence and intensity balanced by nuance, grace and age worthiness.

The 2005 vintage marks our second Five Sisters release since 1999. Hugh Chappelle has produced an exemplary Pinot Noir with youthful garnet and violet tones. An unusual amount of floral high notes including some uncommon spiciness with notes of coriander, clove and gunflint. The fruit character is in the ripe, dark spectrum, with melded aromas of cherry cola, black raspberry and ripe strawberries. The palate is viscous and rich, yet light on its feet but to ultrafine tannins and an exceptionally balanced acidity. Drink now or cellar 7-8+ years.

Accolades:

• 92 POINTS - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, May/June 2008

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Beautiful color of deep gold with lovely green highlights. On the nose, rich notes of peaches and cream are over-laid by great complexity of hazelnuts, acacia and toasty French oak. These enticing aromas last and last, becoming more and more complex as the wine opens in the glass. The palate is full and rich, with elegant cool-climate acidity to balance the concentrated apricot and peach fruit notes. Luscious flavors of butterscotch and cedar oak play wonderfully against accents of wild mushroom and forest floor. The finish is fresh, pure and very long. Our first vintage of Zephyr Farms Chardonnay is very approachable and enjoyable now but will become more complex and rich with time, if you can keep your hands off it! We expect this wine to improve with cellaring for 3-5 more years, or through 2011-2013.

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Only 50 cases of this wine was produced, allocated to our 6- and 12-bottle Club Members.
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The color this year is immediately bright and youthful with an attractive violet hue and a translucence that boldly declares this is not another “over-extracted” Syrah-like Pinot Noir. Aromas begin with an assortment of wonderfully forward red fruits such as pie cherry, strawberry, and cranberry. These upfront fruit characters are accented by complexing notes of baking spice, deeper dark fruits, and orange blossom. There is also a subtle earthiness here that evokes the local coastal forests and the breezes coming in from Pacific….giving this wine a heightened sense of place. On the palate cleansing, “zippy” acidity results in a taut, yet balanced, structure with flavors that truly linger and draw you back. Always enjoyable upon release, this wine will only get better through fall of 2009, and should continue to reward cellaring through 2012.

Accolades:

• 89 POINTS - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, May/June 2008

2007 Lynmar Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

This outstanding vintage gives an immediate impression of depth and concentration in the glass, with a notably brilliant, bold garnet hue. Aromas are clearly dominated by red fruit tones – strawberry, and cherry pie punctuated by light cranberry notes. A darker underbelly quietly unfolds on the nose, bringing forth blackberry and Bing cherry that adds depth and layering. This Pinot Noir is clearly fruit driven, hitting the palate with a pronounced sense of balance that glides to a long finish with no hard edges. With a subtle spiciness and slight toast notes, this vintage is characterized by a broad, lush quality – offering firm structure and lovely concentration without ever edging towards heaviness. Tannins are perfectly ripe, adding structure and grip to a framework that will allow this wine to age well. Beautiful upon release, this Pinot Noir should continue to reward cellaring through 2014-2016

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The color of the wine is a beautiful light ruby with soft salmon tones. The aroma is a combination of intensely pure strawberry/rhubarb fruit complemented by an uncommon note of blackcurrant buds. In the glass, the wine yields further notes of white flowers and rosemary alongside more subtle fruit accents of cranberry, orange peel, and peaches.  The texture is soft and round, with perfectly balanced acidity to accompany the juicy flavors and easy-to-drink structure.  The finish is long and extremely refreshing.  This is a Dry Rosé that stands on its own with exceptional elegance or can be paired with a wide variety of foods and cuisines.  Enjoy with good weather and good friends!

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While there is a thread of continuity from this 2006 back through recent vintages, there is also a clear sense of evolution. Each of the contributing vineyards has added a layer, and more than ever the sum is truly greater than the parts. A forward aroma of lemon custard and lemon zest is backed by a faint lime juice quality, reminiscent of a crisp, finely-crafted margarita! Secondary aromas of apple and pear play off of a perfume-like floral character. A wisp of roasted nut and a touch of chalk dust “minerality” add complexity. The flavors confirm the nose where citrus, apple, pear and floral notes abound. The palate is definitely dry with wonderfully balanced body, flavor intensity, and acidity. The finish lingers just long enough to entice another sip! Enjoy upon release or cellar through 2010.

Accolades:

• 91 POINTS, Wine Spectator
  July 31, 2008 issue

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In the glass, this Chardonnay displays a clear, deep yellow hue with notable brilliance. Creamy lemon meringue dominates a particularly complex nose; look for an appealing mélange of aromas that include light vanilla, toasted nut, baked golden delicious apple, butter toffee and citrus-laced brioche. The creamy lemon pie quality continues on the palate, juxtaposed by light spice notes and a flinty, mineral impression. The Wente Clone is best known for its texture, density and weight – giving this wine a rich, mouth filling presence on a long, lingering finish. Though this is our first vintage of this release, we expect the wine to reward cellaring through 2013-2014.

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This beautiful wine is deep purple, with a pronounced violet rim, and clearly youthful. The lovely and complex nose of ash, bramble fruit, meat, and pepper evolves in the glass, but is concentrated and appealing from the start. While fresh and approachable now this wine will clearly improve with cellaring. The palate is highlighted by flavors of blackberry, damson plum, alongside more subtle smoky, toasty animal notes. The cedar-spice French oak is beautifully balanced by the red and dark fruit, good acidity, and fine-grained tannins. The finish is long and intense, and enjoyable now if you “like
‘em young”, but clearly reinforces the aromas and flavors with the potential to develop and improve over the next several years. This is a “real” wine that will complement many foods well yet will still be enjoyable on its own. Drink now and stock up if you like it as it should keep for up to 7-8 years, or through 2015-2016.

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