Moderately dark reddish purple color in the glass. Very expressive and easy going, with aromas and flavors of cherry and boysenberry. Juicy, with polished tannins and soothing harmony.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Hailey’s Block (another Green Valley site) emerges from Dijon clones 114 and 777. Like its siblings, it is bottled unfined and unfiltered after spending 17 months in (in this case) 42% new French oak. An easygoing style of Pinot Noir, with lots of cocoa, sweet cherry and strawberry fruit, some fresh porcini mushrooms, and a round, juicy mouthfeel and finish, it should drink nicely over the next 5-6 years.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Velvet Sisters emanates from another Anderson Valley site and is sourced from four separate clones – Dijon clones 115, 666, 777 and the Pommard selection. This wine displays notes of baked apple skins, pomegranate, black cherry and a hint of raspberry, with some floral notes as well as forest floor. It is rich, ripe, medium to full-bodied, and best drunk over the next 5-7 years.

Moderately dark reddish purple color in the glass. Assertive ripe black fruit aromas with added scents of pine and earthy flora. Bold, long and intense, with firm but harmonious tannins. Balance predicts age ability.

Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. The nose leads with attractive scents of dark berries, black cherry, Asian 5-spice and a touch of smoke. Very satisfying, with dusty tannins, a savory thread and a finish offering generous plum and blackberry aromatic goodness.

Moderately dark reddish purple color in the glass. A highly concentrated wine replete with sappy blackberry and black currant flavors accented with an iron-toned minerality. Angular tannins support the fruit load nicely.

Vivid ruby. Fresh dark berries and cherry-cola on the nose, with smoky spice and lavender notes adding complexity. Supple and broad on entry, then tighter in the mid-palate, offering bitter cherry and anise flavors and a touch of succulent herbs. Lingers with appealing sweetness, supple tannins and excellent nervy persistence.

Ruby-red. Oak-spiced red berry and blood orange aromas and flavors are complemented by succulent herb and floral nuances. Shows appealing sweetness and focus, with silky texture and a strong star anise quality. The floral note builds through the finish, which is given shape by supple, harmonious tannins that merge smoothly with the wine's intense fruit.

Vivid red. Cherry-cola, iron and sexy oak spices on the fragrant nose, with a minerally nuance building with air. Concentrated but lithe and precise, offering juicy dark berry and cherry compote flavors and a touch of exotic spices. The cola and mineral qualities come back on the finish, which shows excellent clarity and silky tannins.

From the coldest site, the 2012 Pinot Noir Seascape Vineyard reveals a dark ruby color along with lots of spice box, pomegranate, red currants, smoky herbs and forest floor notes. Savory with excellent richness and vibrant acidity, it can be drunk over the next 5-6 years.

Vivid ruby-red. Pungent aromas of cherry pit, vanilla and beet root are civilized by a suave floral nuance. Juicy and nervy on the palate, offering zesty redcurrant and bitter cherry flavors that gain sweetness with air. Closes tangy and long, with gentle tannins coming on late.

Bright ruby. Seductive bouquet of red and dark berries, rose, cocoa powder and smoky Indian spices. Vibrant black raspberry and candied cherry flavors are lifted by smoky minerals, becoming deeper and spicier with air. The impressively bright, focused finish features building tannins and a hint of star anise.

Vivid ruby-red. Powerful aromas of black raspberry, Indian spices, anise and violet are complemented by a smoky mineral quality. Fleshy, gently sweet red and dark berry flavors become more tangy with air and pick up an exotic floral pastille nuance. This weighty but lively pinot finishes with supple tannins, repeating spiciness and very good persistence.

Dark red plum, spices, licorice and menthol all flesh out in the 2011 Pinot Noir Far Coast Vineyard. Veins of underlying salinity support the expansive fruit nicely in a beautifully balanced wine from the Sonoma Coast.

The 2011 Pinot Noir Far Coast Vineyard (made from Dijon clones 114, 115, 667 and 777) is sourced from a high ridge on the Sonoma Coast. With 15.2% alcohol, this powerful Pinot exhibits good opulence and richness along with lots of ripe pomegranate, black cherry and raspberry fruit intermixed with notions of spring flowers and forest floor. This complex, broad, savory Pinot should be drunk over the next 5-6 years.

Deep, fleshy and impeccable, the 2011 Pinot Noir Hailey's Block is showing very nicely today. Bright red cherries, flowers, cinnamon are all laced together in a delicate, gracious Pinot with considerable near and medium-term appeal.

From Anderson Valley, the 2011 Pinot Noir Velvet Sisters comes from a block of Dijon clones with a small amount of the Pommard clone. It tends to be one of Hartford Court’s more robust Pinots at 14.6% alcohol. It displays the classic Anderson Valley profile of blueberry liqueur, acacia flowers and raspberries. This lovely, rich, medium-bodied, dark ruby-colored 2011 is about as sexy as a Pinot Noir can be. It should age well for 5-6 years.

Deep ruby. Pungent aromas of black fruits, licorice, violet and fresh herbs, with slow-building spiciness. Then dense and lush on the palate, showing a seductive sweetness to the flavors of dark berry and cherry preserves, minerals and black tea. This palate-staining, vivacious pinot finishes with lingering spice and smoke notes.

The 2010 Pinot Noir Hailey's Block, from a parcel in Arrendell, offers up freshly cut flowers, sweet black cherries, mint, licorice, new leather and a hint of French oak. Vibrant and delineated, the 2010 marries the typical generosity of these Dijon clones in the Green Valley with the cool, insistent minerality of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020.

Autumn leaves, mint, tobacco, earthiness and dried cherries all come together in the 2010 Pinot Noir Velvet Sisters. Firm tannins and crystalline nuances typical of Anderson Valley come through loud and clear. Sweet floral notes wrap around the fruit in this poised, chiseled wine. The acidity and freshness of the vintage reappear on the finish, adding distinction and personality. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020.

The 2009 Pinot Noir MacLean's Block is a big, masculine wine bursting with expressive dark fruit. Firm tannins provide the backbone in this virile, unique Pinot. The MacLean's will appeal most to readers who appreciate a bigger, firmer style of Pinot. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017.

The 2009 Pinot Noir Fog Dance Vineyard is a soft, silky wine that shows the feminine, graceful side of Pinot. Sweet raspberries, flowers, exotic spices, citrus and mint flow from the glass in this high-toned, delicate Pinot. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016.

The 2009 Pinot Noir Land's Edge Vineyards is made in a fairly rich, round style for the Sonoma Coast. The Land's Edge is built on a rich core of expressive dark red fruit, flowers, licorice and spices. It shows gorgeous depth and definition from the first taste. Deep layers of fruit wrap around the intense finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017.

Graceful, rich and elegant, with a seam of suppleness running through the ripe plum and black cherry fruit. Expansive and layered on the finish. Drink now through 2022.

The 2008 Pinot Noir MacLean's Block comes from an east-facing slope not far from the town of Occidental. Another wine that is neither fined nor filtered, it displays a dark ruby hue as well as a lush texture and hints of pomegranate, raspberry, black cherry, toasty oak and earth. It should drink well for 3-4 years. Owned by Jess Jackson and Don Hartford and assisted by winemaker Jeff Mangahas, Hartford Court is one of the bright shining stars in Jess Jackson Family Vineyard's impressive portfolio. All three Chardonnays come from cool climate sites, either the Sonoma Coast or the Green Valley. I tasted five 2008 Pinot Noirs, a challenging vintage for some producers but Hartford Court had no smoke issues.