2010 Cerridwen Van der Kamp Vineyard Sonoma Mountain Pinot Noir

14.4% alc., 84 cases, $54. Inaugural bottling. This vineyard sits at 1400 feet elevation. Soils are loam with volcanic and decomposed river bed components. Yields 1.5 to 2.0 tons per acre. Grapes were hand de-stemmed and fermented with indigenous yeast. Clones 828 and 23. Aged 16 months in 100% French oak barrels with lees stirring. Unfined and unfiltered. Aged 12 months before release. Winemaker Deborah Bennett interned with winemaker Greg La Follette and worked a harvest in New Zealand before crafting her first wine. · Moderately light reddish-purple color in the glass. Slight reduction upon opening blows off. Aromas of fresh, hi-tone cherries and cherry pit leading to lighter-weight flavors of cherries, raspberries, cranberries and a slight pharmaceutical note, offering a backbone of dusty, dry mountain tannins, finishing very dry with a kiss of cherry. Tasted two bottles. Good. Reviewed April 13, 2013

Winery: Cerridwen Wines
From article: Sips of California Pinot Noir: Recently Sampled Wines