2008 UV Pinot Noir
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Tasting notes
My favorite effort in this entire Pinot Noir portfolio is the 2008 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard, a blend of equal parts Calera and the Vosne-Romanee suitcase clones. Its deep ruby/plum color is accompanied by sweet aromas of beef blood, damp earth, spring flowers, raspberries, cola and black cherries. Full-bodied, concentrated and rich with silky tannins as well as good acidity, it should drink nicely for 7-10 years. Mark Aubert’s brilliant Chardonnays continue to place this winery in California’s top Chardonnay hierarchy, sharing the same rarified air as Marcassin, Kongsgaard, Peter Michael, Luc Morlet, Kistler, Hartford Court and DuMol. These cool climate, usually hillside sites on the Sonoma Coast are cropped low, the wines are fermented in new French oak and bottled without fining or filtration. I am on Aubert’s mailing list, and while I never seem to have enough wines to age very long, a recent tasting of his 2004s revealed them to still be in splendid condition. With a few noteworthy exceptions, aging California Chardonnay beyond a decade is a fool’s game, but certain older Marcassin and Mt. Eden Chardonnays have impressively stood the test of time. I am sure Aubert’s would also, but who can defer their gratification that long? Tel. (707) 963-4569; Fax (707) 963-4322
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Full medium red, less bright than the Rueling. More aromatic nose offers blue fruits and violet. Fat, sweet and broad, with very ripe flavors of blueberry liqueur, black tea and earth. I wanted a bit more verve and floral lift but this very long wine shows better fruit sweetness on the very long finish than the Rueling. Aubert did an extended maceration on the skins in 2008 (up to 45 days), which he believes has given his wines more gras But I wonder if this added textural richness has come at the expense of some verve. Both of these wines are aged in 100% new oak, mostly barrels from Fran c ois Freres, Remond and Damy.
About the producer
The Aubert wines, particularly the Chardonnay, have a cult following – beloved for their rich, hedonistic style. Created by Mark and Theresa Aubert in 1999, the property makes some of California’s most sought-after Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, all from single vineyards across Sonoma.