2009 Radio-Coteau Pinot Noir Dierke

The 2009 Pinot Noir Dierke is a bit tamed in this vintage. There is plenty of fruit in the glass, but not much else. Today, the 2009 comes across as pretty but simple. It is easy to see the transformation that has occurred at this site over the last few years as the young vines get older and more site specificity emerges, but this was the second wine off the site. As such, it is pretty, but nothing like the wines that have emerged since then. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2019. This lineup from Radio-Coteau and proprietor Eric Sussman was among the most thrilling I tasted this year. Radio-Coteau practices sustainable farming and hands-off winemaking, which includes native fermentations, minimal rackings and bottling without fining or filtration. What ultimately counts, though, is what is in the bottle, and more often than not, these are compelling wines that deserve serious attention. Among many things, Sussman told me Syrah did better in 2011 than in 2010. Yields were down dramatically, but the fruit that was left was exceptional. Tel. (707) 823-2578

Bright ruby. High-pitched redcurrant and raspberry aromas, with sexy floral and mineral notes gaining strength with air. Fresh and precise, offering concentrated but lively red berry and cherry compote flavors, with a strong jolt of minerality in the mid-palate. This silky pinot gains a floral pastille quality with air and finishes long, with noteworthy clarity and cut. This is a new wine for Sussman; the grapes comes from a 2.6-acre, organically grown vineyard in far western Sebastopol that was planted in 2006.