2014 Felton Road Pinot Noir Block 3

First wine of the day. Mid cherry red. Rocky red fruit and a dry finesse on the palate. Just a hint of spice and lots of thyme but mostly elegant red fruit. Smooth and compact tannins. Sweet spice on the long finish. (JH)

(from 22-year-old vines planted to Wadenswil and Pommard clones; vinified with 25% whole clusters): Good medium-deep red. Musky black raspberry and Damson plum aromas are complemented by coffee, dried herbs and complex soil tones and lifted by a floral topnote. At once brighter and tighter than the 2013 version, conveying a lovely light touch to its blackberry, dark cherry, herb and spice flavors. But this fine-grained, suavely tannic Pinot is broad, ripe, tactile and quite long. I love the combination of saline extract and floral lift, not to mention the wine's almost chocolatey ripeness.