2004 Saintsbury Toryon Farm Carneros Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., 4,260 cases, $45. This vineyard sits on a property that was originally a horse ranch, and today, the owners Ed and Camile Penhoef run a dressage training facility adjacent to the vineyard. This vineyard is separated from Saintsbury’s Brown Ranch Vineyard by the famous Hyde Vineyard. · This wine is composed of 115 clone grapes I have tasted this wine twice. Several months ago I found it quite closed with aromas of mushrooms and earth dominating. There was appealing red fruits but with a herbal, astringent and tannic note to the finish. I tasted it again at the winery recently and the rough edges in the finish had disappeared. It showed very appealing Pinot fruits, a silky texture, and suede-like soft tannins on the finish. Perhaps it was the presence of the winemaker, but the wine honestly tasted significantly better the second time and presumably additional bottle age did the trick. Reviewed February 26, 2007

Winery: Saintsbury
From article: The New Saintsbury