2010 Big Basin Pinot Noir Alfaro Family Vineyard

Bright ruby-red. Explosive perfume of red and dark berries, exotic spices and lavender. Silky and sweet, with good focus and energy to its bright raspberry, blackberry and vanilla flavors. Supple, focused and pure on the impressively long, juicy finish. This very sexy pinot drinks well now but also has the balance to age.

The 2010 Pinot Noir Alfaro Family Vineyard is a gorgeous, precise wine. Sweet red berries, flowers and spices meld together gracefully in the glass. There is a sense of tension and energy in the 2010 that is fabulous, while persistent saline notes frame the finish. The 2010 was made with 30% whole clusters and aged in 50% new oak barrels.

The 2010 Pinot Noir Alfaro Family Vineyard is a gorgeous, precise wine. Sweet red berries, flowers and spices meld together gracefully in the glass. There is a sense of tension and energy in the 2010 that is fabulous, while persistent saline notes frame the finish. The 2010 was made with 30% whole clusters and aged in 50% new oak barrels. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020. I tasted a bevy of gorgeous wines with proprietor Bradley Brown this year. These new and upcoming releases are impeccable and strongly suggest Brown is one of the up and coming stars of the region. I can hardly wait to see how his wines develop in the future. Most of the 2010 Pinots were harvested during the first week of October, on the late side that year. The wines spent 16 months in French oak, between roughly 40-60% new. The 2009 Syrahs were picked during a broad window that started in early October and lasted much of the month. Brown gave his 2009 Syrahs about 27 months in French oak, from 50-86% new. I also tasted a number of wines from barrel, most of them 2010 Syrahs and Syrah-blends. Today, those wines are very promising, as the cold 2010 vintage seems to have brought out the maximum in varietal definition and nuance. Tel. (831) 621-8028