It's a truism in the wine industry that great wines are made in the vineyard, not in the winery, and while this is probably true for every grape variety to an extent, it seems to be especially true of Pinot Noir. The fickle nature of this grape was immortalized in the movie Sideways, but the fact that Pinot is extremely sensitive to vineyard site has been known for hundreds of years, dating back to the monks in Burgundy that developed a hierarchy of vineyards. In California we are still learning about our great sites, but there is no doubt that there is something special about the Heintz Ranch in the western reach of the Russian River Valley appellation, where the climate is really more similar to the far Sonoma Coast. Charlie Heintz provides grapes to some the greatest names in California Pinot, including Littorai, Willias Selyem, Kosta Browne, Peay, and DuMol, but reserves some of his finest fruit for his own Heintz label.
The 2006 Heintz Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is light garnet in color, showing just a hint of brown, which seems to be typical for the 2006 vintage in California. The nose is loaded with black cherry, clove, plum, and cinnamon. The palate is medium in weight, with cherry and strawberry joined by an earthy, almost espresso-like note. Good acidity carries through on the spicy finish, leaving a lingering impression of fresh plum. This is in its ideal drinking window right now, and should stay at this level for another few years. A ridiculous bargain at under $30, in an area (Sonoma Coast) that has seen prices jump drastically over the last few years.
This wine is hard to find and normally allocated, let alone at any discount.
So don’t miss your chance on this one!
Appellation: Sonoma Coast (100% Heintz Ranch Estate Swan Clone)
Production: Bottled 8/7/2007 - 225 cases
Alcohol: 14.7%
94 Points
Opens up with an aromatic burst of black cherry jam, wild huckleberry, and a hint of crushed espresso bean. On the palate, the fruit is lush and primary, but it's the secondary notes—toasted nutmeg, dark chocolate truffle, and the signature 'Dry Creek Dust'—that provide a long, savory finish.
95 Points
Aromas of wild berries, black fig and ripe dark fruits are intertwined with hints of fresh mountain herbs, mineral, leather, savory spices, and cigar box. On the palate, the rich fruit flavors of dark cherry, ripe plum, blackberry, red currants and cassis are layered with notes of wild sage, dark chocolate truffle, cinnamon, clove, and a kiss of oak.
96 Points
Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, huckleberry, floral violet and savory spice. The palate is full and layered, with robust, age-worthy tannins and gorgeous flavors of dark berries, mocha and chocolate-covered cherries mingling with hints of graphite, fig and fine leather. Smooth tannins, firm structure and silky texture coat the palate on route to a long, generous finish.
