2008 Patz & Hall Pinot Noir Gap's Crown Vineyard
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Tasting notes
From the Petaluma Windgap, the 2008 Pinot Noir Gap's Crown (another limited cuvee of 124 cases) exhibits pleasant pomegranate and cherry notes, a medium to dark ruby color and juicy red fruits, with good acidity and spice. This is an attractive, well-made wine and one of the better 2008s from Patz and Hall. One of the most reliable negociant firms in all of California is that of Patz and Hall, as the following tasting notes demonstrate. They are spot-on across the board with their generic as well as single-vineyard wines. There is no doubt they have been accessing some of the best single-vineyard sites in California for nearly as long as I have been writing about wine. Patz and Hall now produce eight separate Pinot Noirs, which would make them feel at home working in the Cote d-Or, where most vignerons have at least a half dozen different offerings. Tel. (877) 265-6700
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Good bright, deep red. High-pitched, subdued aromas of kirsch and smoky oak accented by spices and orange peel. Densely packed but quite brisk, almost tart, with just enough intensity of black cherry, ginger and orange peel flavor to buffer its firm acid backbone. Finishes with an edge of tannins that calls for at least a year or two of bottle aging. This was made from fruit in a cool spot, harvested late.