2009 Fort Ross Pinot Noir Fort Ross Vineyard- USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (10/7/2011)
PnP tasted at the estate. This is the first release from esteemed winemaker Jeff Pisoni. Notwithstanding the cachet of the name, this is indeed a game-changer of a wine. I’ve been drinking the FRV offering since the 2001 release and this is the full expression I’d always known this very special land could produce. This medium+ bodied effort leads with a bright garnet toward full ruby core, offering elegant aromas of dark cherry, sandalwood, a touch of cola, red floral, sassafras and strawberry. As pretty as the nose is, the palate is where this really shines. Elegant layers of red and black fruits with flavors of earth, tea and mineral on the back end. Tannins, seamless, precise. No doubt there will be some stunning efforts from this growing region in the 2009 vintage, but this should prove very hard to beat. For classicists and modernists alike, this beauty should drink thru 2024. Highly recommended, score: A/A+
I opened a bottle of this 2009 Fort Ross ‘Fort Ross Vineyard’ PN tonight to have with the turkey tomorrow, and treated myself to a glass as a sneak peak. It’s really good - with cranberry fruit, crisp balance, and lots of verve with its 14.1% abv. Normally I go for the plumper RRV PN, but this is food friendly wine, and still fresh.
It’s a beautiful, wild area too - but very hard to get to.