2009 Cobb Pinot Noir Joy Road Vineyard

The 2009 Pinot Noir Joy Road Vineyard comes across as a bit tight and unyielding today as the acidity and tannins are both quite dominant at this stage. Firm tannins frame dark red/blue-hued fruit in this linear, structured Pinot. The 2009 needs time to fully come together. This is an unusually pointed, chiseled Pinot for the vintage. Accordingly, it needs time to flesh out in bottle. There is a lot to admire in this nuanced, vibrant Pinot, but patience is the key. Ross Cobb used 10% whole clusters here. The 2009 is the last Joy Road. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. Although the Cobb family bought and planted Coastlands in 1989, they didn’t start making their own wines until 2001. Building on his nine years at Flowers, Ross Cobb began gradually expanding the family’s range of bottlings. These are delicate, polished Pinots that reflect the unique personality of this coastal site and all of its shades of nuance. The Pinots see about 40% new oak in the first year of aging, followed by a bit less than that in the second year. Vintage 2010 presented considerable challenges. There is no Rice-Spivak or Emmaline because of crop failure. Fortunately, both wines are back in 2011. The 2010 Pinots were bottled in July 2012. Tel. (707) 799-1073

Bright ruby-red. Vibrant red fruit and Asian spices on the high-pitched, expressive nose. Juicy, precise and surprisingly concentrated, offering tangy raspberry and cherry flavors and a sexy note of candied rose. Finishes silky and smooth, with lingering floral and cinnamon notes.