Color is a medium garnet with pale rose-purple edges; good clarity. The initial aroma is intensely estery. Once this blows off there is a profound, complex layer of fruit: sour cherry, pomegranate, plum skin, and raspberry. Beyond the fruit there is a mix of citrus peel, cinnamon or nutmeg, earth, and graphite. The initial perception in the mouth is sweet and round, but the acidity of the wine quickly asserts itself. This wine is tart. The finish is long and intense, with a creamy note under the tartness and tannin. The aftertaste is very grippy, intensely fruity, and briary.
Our 2010 Estate Pinot breaks new ground for us. It is very much a product of a much cooler-than-average vintage, and asserts itself in ways our prior releases of Pinot Noir do not. Today, the wine screams out for pairing with rich and fatty dishes. We believe that there is a strong potential for this wine to age with the power and elegance of our 1986 Haynes Vineyard Pinot.