2010 Joli Coeur Pinot Noir

The 2010 Pinot Noir Joli Coeur is a deep, implosive wine. Firm tannins provide the backbone for this structured, intense Pinot. Black cherry, hard candy, violets, tar and licorice flow through to the intense finish. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. Luc Morlet must surely have one of the broadest portfolios in California between the wines he makes under his own labels and for his consulting clients. There are a lot of beautiful wines in this range, although I have to admit, I tend to prefer the wines Morlet makes in Napa Valley over those from Sonoma. I have a slight preference for the 2011 Chardonnays over the 2010s, as I find the more recent vintage a touch more refined. In addition to these wines, I also tasted all of the 2011 Pinots, but found them in an awkward, raw state that is not unusual for young wines from this cold and very late harvest. Tel. (707) 967-8690

(from a sweet spot of Coteaux Nobles, where the berries and clusters are even smaller): Good full deep red. Aromas of griotte cherry, violet, graphite and earth. At once silky and superconcentrated, showing outstanding early harmony for such a dense and firmly made wine. Finishes with outstanding breadth and length and suave but serious tannins. A knockout Sonoma Coast pinot that will need at least four or five years in the bottle.

The 2010 Pinot Noir Joli Coeur comes across as rather implosive. Today the wine is holding back much of its ultimate potential. Layers of fruit flow gracefully towards the textured, inviting finish. Sweet floral notes, mint, spices and succulent black cherries frame the close. The Joli Coeur is made from a parcel within the Coteaux Nobles where the vines produce smaller berries than in the rest of the site.