2011 La Crema Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., pH 3.61, TA 0.56, RS 0.08%, 4,900 cases, $40. Focus on Laughlin and Piner Estate vineyards but grapes are sourced from diverse regions of the Russian River Valley including Green Valley, the Santa Rosa bench and the hills of Occidental. Clones are Pommard, 23, 777, 115, 667, 828, 2A and Martini. 100% de-stemmed, 70% whole berries, aged 10 months in 31% new French oak barrels. Racked once at blending before bottling. · Medium reddish-purple color in the glass. Very fragrant with an enticing perfume of black cherries, black berries and a hint of cardamom spice maintaining an intensity over time in the glass. Full-bodied and lush, with a delicious core of black cherry and cola flavor with a hint of toasty oak adding interest. Nicely balanced tannins, excellent acidity and some finishing length. One of the better Russian River Valley appellation wines tasted from this vintage. Very good. Reviewed April 13, 2013

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