2006 Penner-Ash Pinot Noir Seven Springs Vineyard

Youthful ruby-red. Deep blackberry and blueberry aromas are complicated by oak spices and pungent flowers. Fleshy dark fruit preserve flavors deliver a wallop of sweetness, with smoky herbs, spicy fruitcake and cracked pepper gaining strength on the long, velvety back end. This reminded me of a new-school northern Rhone wine. The richest and deepest pinot that I tasted this year at Penner-Ash, and undeniably impressive, but my girlie-man palate was more seduced by the Dussin and Shea bottlings.