2008 Radio-Coteau Pinot Noir Alberigi

Made from tiny yields because of damaging frost during the spring bud break, the 2008 Pinot Noir Alberigi was made with just over 20% stems. Black raspberry and cherry notes intermixed with a gamy, earthy terroir character and abundant spice characterize this medium-bodied Pinot made from modern Dijon clones (777, 115 and 114). This wine appears to be on a fast evolutionary track and is best drunk over the next 3-4 years. Proprietor Eric Sussman seems to go from strength to strength at this small boutique winery. One of the buzz words in the wine world is -natural- winemaking, which has no real definition and is often shamelessly used to promote a certain style of wine. Yet Radio-Coteau is a great example of 'natural winemaking' native indigenous fermentations, incredibly low usage of SO2 and biodynamically farmed vineyards. Then add the fact that the wines are bottled without fining or filtration. Of course, human beings/civilization have to intervene in the winemaking process, so until grapes are produced that can detach themselves from the vine and hop, skip and jump to a fermenter and make themselves, we will never have 100% 'natural' wines. Eric Sussman's three 2008 Syrahs have also turned out fabulously well, with all of them living up to the higher end of my barrel tasting range of scores of last year. The 2009 Syrahs are not as intense as their 2008 counterparts. However, given how Eric Sussman's wines often put on weight in the barrel, my current ratings may look conservative a year from now. Tel. (707) 823-2578; Fax (707) 823-2112