1 | Wine | Pinot Noir, 91 to 95, 2010

"Adding Johan Vineyard to the roster of four sites that informed this cuvee’s previous edition, the Ransom 2010 Pinot Noir Selection – tasted in a close approximation to its final assemblage – delivers downright refreshingly as well as invigoratingly tangy red currant and fraises des bois, tinged with coriander seed, nutmeg, and rose hip. Buoyant to the point of delicacy, this finishes with mouthwatering persistence and is sure on release to represent an outstanding value that can be enjoyed over at least the next half dozen years."

"The 2010 Pinot Noir North Slope is a gorgeous wine laced with freshly cut flowers, spices, red berries and minerals. Saline notes are woven throughout, giving the wine its lift and vibrancy. The North Slope boasts gorgeous inner perfume and fabulous overall length. It will be interesting to see where this goes over the coming years. The future appears to be very bright."

"Vivid red. A sexy, heady bouquet evokes black raspberry and cherry compote, with Asian spice and sandalwood nuances gaining strength with air. The palate offers intense red berry and floral pastille flavors, along with spicecake and cola accents. Closes with impressive energy and sweetness, leaving an allspice note behind."

"Delivers a pure, ripe beam of black cherry, raspberry and plum flavors, both layered and focused. Supple in texture, ending with a long, persistent finish."

"Explosively perfumed aromas of red and dark berry preserves, Asian spices and potpourri, with cola and vanilla accents building in the glass. Sappy, broad and appealingly sweet, offering lively, spicy dark berry flavors with nuances of soy and candied flowers. Shows plenty of upfront appeal and intense fruit, finishing smooth, spicy and very long."

"Another super-impressive wine from Foxen. It combines some of the ethereal feel of the Julia’s with the weight of the Sea Smoke. If that sounds appealing, believe me, it is. This is a marvelous Pinot loaded with class and finesse. The Bien Nacido Block 8 (along with the Julia’s) is one of the least expensive of the 2010 Pinots, yet I find it the most compelling of the bunch."

"The 2010 Pinot Noir is surprisingly juicy for the vintage. Black cherries, spices and flowers burst from the glass in this deep, expressive Pinot. The wine reveals gorgeous depth and purity all the way through to the resonant finish."

"Bright red. A complex, highly perfumed bouquet evokes candied red fruits, rhubarb and allspice, with musky herb and vanilla nuances building in the glass. Offers an array of red fruit flavors that put on weight and gain spiciness with air. A floral note comes up on the finish, which clings with impressive tenacity and focus. I suspect that this wine will age nicely on its balance. But the way, the 2003 version of this wine is drinking extremely well right now."

"Displays ripe, juicy blackberry mingled with resin, cinnamon, dark chocolate, vanilla, and clove, and underlain by beet root and a subtly present sense of forest floor. A vivid, tart berry edge and salted meat suggestions serve for invigoration and saliva inducement in a long finish. The alliance of sweet richness with levity and bright ping of acidity reflects the unusual proclivity of this site, where Bergstrom says “you can let the fruit hang as long as you want, and still come up with Burgundian pH numbers.” The flip side of that, he notes, is that the tannins can be aggressive if vines and young wine are not carefully monitored under that aspect; but in the present instance I find them fine-grained and well-integrated. Incidentally, apropos the youthfulness of so many of the vines in this site (roughly half were planted only in 2006), Bergstrom maintains that quality doesn’t have to suffer in the vine’s “adolescence” if the crop is managed tightly, and I suppose this wine makes that point pretty decisively!"

"Vivid red. Pungent, highly aromatic bouquet of red berries, candied cherry, Asian spices and fresh rose. Round and supple but energetic, with lively raspberry, cherry, floral pastille and cinnamon flavors. Gains depth on the suave, intensely floral finish while maintaining excellent vivacity."