2012 Radio-Coteau Pinot Noir Dierke

The 2012 Pinot Noir Dierke comes from an organically farmed, hillside vineyard just off the Bodega Highway, and was aged 16 months in 50% new French oak. It was made from the Mt. Eden clone and clone 828. Floral and spicy with notes of plums, dark currants and wet pebbles, this attractive, medium-bodied, pure, fresh, elegant beauty can be enjoyed over the next 6-8 years.

(35% new oak): Bright ruby. Wild, assertive boysenberry, floral and cocoa powder aromas show excellent clarity and a spicy overtone. Juicy and tightly focused on the palate, offering intense red and blue fruit flavors that gain sweetness and depth with air. The most structured of these pinots (which is why it has yet to be bottled), finishing with serious power and chewy, building tannins.

Dark, ferrous and earthy notes abound in the 2012 Pinot Noir Dierke. Interestingly, the savory side of this cold site dominates over the fruit, even in the 2012, which is such an expressive vintage. Hints of new leather, smoke and tobacco add nuance on a finish laced with considerable energy, power and tension. There is a lot to look forward to here, but the Dierke has a bit less early appeal than most of the other 2012 Pinots in the range.