2006 Red Label Sonoma County Pinot Noir   Our 2006 Red Label Sonoma County Pinot Noir is a blend of fruit from throughout the county, with a particular focus on the Russian River Valley. Bright red cherry aromas with an earthy, woodsy tone dominate the nose, along with hints of olive. Nice, relatively lush palate weight with a good balance of red and black cherry fruit and earth, and hints of citrus whites bringing definition. Gripping tannins run along the early to mid finish. The wine opens up really nicely, and the finish really lengthens over time. Chocolate shavings join the fruit and earth of the nose, as the fruit on the palate drifts further toward black cherry. More 1286 cases produced     [$28]   2006 La Brisa Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir   “La Brisa” ” is Spanish for the seasonal coastal breeze that rolls over some of Northern California’s most prestigious Pinot Noir vineyards, and the cooling influences of this breeze can be seen in the elegant style exhibited by our La Brisa Sonoma Coast blend. We have selected the fruit for this wine from ideal sites around the Sonoma Coast appellation in order to capture the character of the region and to truly express its fruit and earthiness. The 2006 La Brisa opens with a nose of herbs, blackberry, dusty earth, and mixed olives. As it breathes, the herbed aromas resolve into hints of sage and rosemary, and the fruit drifts further to the red end of the spectrum. Bright cherry, blackberry, and red plum fill the palate, along with herbed overtones and sassafras. The finish draws out with chocolate, vanilla, and cherry, along with the herbed, earthy notes of earlier, and as it opens up further over time, an essence of cinnamon even joins the picture. While there are dark fruit flavors, this year’s La Brisa leans more towards red fruit, yielding a fresh, bright flavor profile with good structure and a rich finish. More 968 cases produced     [$30]   2005 Peregrine Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir   This is the first release of our fourth blended wine, Peregrine, from the Sta. Rita Hills appellation in Santa Barbara County. It expresses the tannic structure, herbed nuance, and beautiful fruit of the appellation with boldness and finesse. The Santa Rita Hills appellation is a cool-climate growing region, which stretches between Lompoc and Buellton in a series of rolling east-west hills. The coastal fog and winds influence the climate and cool the area, yielding concentrated fruit and wines with complexity and excellent structure. Named for the peregrines which have made a resurgence in the region after a successful reintroduction program, this wine does a great job of expressing the character of the appellation through fruit sourced from the Sanford and Benedict Vineyard and La Encantada Vineyard, two terrific sites for Pinot Noir. More 654 cases produced     [$38]