2009 Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge Vineyard

(13.5% alcohol): Good deep ruby-red. Sour cherry, bitter chocolate and violet pastille on the nose, plus a whiff of strawberry liqueur. Thick, sweet, large-scaled and rich, with concentrated cherry and fragrant mint flavors. The wine's color, breadth and tannins suggest very strong dry extract. Finishes with classic dryness and impressive aromatic persistence. "The flowering on the coast was difficult," noted Thomas Brown, "and it seemed like every other berry had no juice. The cluster weights were tiny and we did shorter skin contact owing to the sheer concentration of the fruit." I'd be in no rush to drink this.