At 14.5% alcohol, I expected this young wine to be a little hot on the front palate and it was. This gave way to a pleasing mid-palate of dark fruit and a full mouth-feel, still surprising for a pinot noir. Fruit-forward and full, this is not a classic pinot noir but one of the “new school”, high alcohol pinots with big fruit to match. This wine drank nicely with pasta, fish and game. I would lay this wine down for a few years and let some of that alcohol work its way through and further ripen the flavors. At $40 retail, not a steal but not a go-getter either.
http://www.hitchingpost2.com/HPWines.html
Enjoyed March 10, 2007 at Napa Rose Restaurant, Anaheim, CALabels: pinot noir, santa barbara wine