2004 Hanzell Sonoma Valley Pinot Noir

14.3% alc., pH 3.62, TA 0.57, 1,400 cases. Some head in late April but the vintage was gentle from May to the end of August. Grapes were harvested before a brutally hot September. Yields 1.9 tons per acre. Aged 16 months in 62% new Sirugue oak barrels. · Moderately light reddish-purple color with no bricking in the glass. Aromas of black cherries, dried oak and old books. Very fresh mid weight flavors of black cherry cola backed by sinewy tannins and good acidity which strikes a mineral note. Silky in the mouth with a cherry-driven finish of uncommon intensity. Beautifully balanced for the long haul. Will hold for at least another ten years, but hard to resist now. Score: 90. Reviewed July 21, 2013

Winery: Hanzell Vineyards
From article: Hanzell: Still Quality, Character and Reverence After 50 Years