2009 Radio-Coteau Pinot Noir Savoy

The 2009 Pinot Noir Savoy is a juicy, forward wine that gives the impression of being best suited to drinking over the next few years. Red cherries, crushed flowers and sweet spices are nicely supported by mineral notes in this vibrant, radiant Pinot. A final burst of fruit gives this finish an attractive element of energy. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017. I was only able to taste a handful of wines from Radio-Coteau, but I will be addressing that oversight in the near future. These are some of the most compelling wines being made in California. Proprietor Eric Sussman pursues organic and biodynamic farming with a focus on cooler, marginal growing sites. In the cellar the wines are made with ambient yeasts and natural malolactic fermentations. The wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered with the exception of the Chardonnay, which is lightly fined. Yields were down dramatically in 2010, mostly because of the lower crop set. The Pinots saw 5 days of cold soak followed by 15-17 days of fermentation. The Syrahs are potentially even more interesting, but I wasn’t able to taste a fully representative set of wines. Tel. (707) 823-2578; www.radiocoteau.com

Vivid ruby. Penetrating perfume of cherry, blackberry and fresh flowers. Ripe, sappy and sweet, with firm acidity giving tension and lift to its sweet dark fruit flavors. Shows a tactile quality in the mid-palate and picks up spiciness with air. The pure dark fruit is lifted by blood orange and peppery spices on the very long, sweet finish. This benefits a lot from aeration.