San Francisco Chronicle Top 100 Wines, 2011!!! The 2009 vintage was generally cool but punctuated by a timely period of warmth in mid-summer and again toward the end of the growing season. This is evident when we taste the ripe, primary fruit flavors of the 2009 North Valley Pinot Noir. The wineries diverse vineyard sites provided grapes with ample sweetness and fine acidity resulting in an aromatically engaging wine marked by lush fruit, soft silken mouth feel and more complexity than might initially "meet the eye". Red fruits are predominant showcasing wild cherry, raspberry and marionberry with intriguing savory undertones hinting at tarragon and clove. Bright acidity preserves the wine's inherent sleekness and overall charm.