From an estate vineyard in Anderson Valley, the 2012 Pinot Noir Velvet Sisters was made from Dijon clones 115, 667, 777 and the Pommard selection. This sees about 32% new oak. Abundant notes of blueberries, raspberries and red cherries jump from the glass of this elegant, attractive, medium-bodied effort that resembles a premier cru from the Côte de Beaune. Drink this cleanly made, fresh, impressive offering over the next 7-10 years.

The 2011 Pinot Noir Fog Dance Vineyard exhibits sweet berry fruit intermixed with notions of raspberries, underbrush, vanillin and spice. Medium-bodied, supple and charming, it can be enjoyed over the next 4-5 years.

The 2011 Pinot Noir Velvet Sisters is all about nuance, tension and vibrancy. Bright red berries, flowers, crushed rocks and rose petals jump from the glass. The 2011 is wonderfully delineated throughout. An expressive, crystalline finish rounds things out nicely.

Clean cherry, smoky cherry, then darker cherry-bark flavors fade into this wine's earthy finish. It's in a rooty place at the moment, but there's plenty of sunny fruit to brighten the wine as it ages.

The 2009 Pinot Noir Seven's Bench Vineyard is a big, rich wine endowed with generous fruit and an open, radiant personality. It shows the exuberance of the 777 and 667 clones planted on clay soils. Subtle earthy notes, black cherries and licorice develop in the glass, adding complexity. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016.

Opens with black cherries, raspberries and smoky berries. There are hints of violets and cigar box that make this full-bodied wine ultra-seductive with its polished tannins and soft texture. Extremely cherry-berry in flavour.

The Cotes de Beaune premier cru-styled 2008 Pinot Noir Seven's Bench Vineyard comes from Dijon clones 667 and 777. It offers a dark ruby color, medium body and abundant aromas of vanilla, sassafras, pomegranate and sweet and sour cherries. It possesses more charm and flesh than the Hailey's Block, and both cuvees are best consumed during their first 3-5 years of life. 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.

Very much showing the restraint and firm balance predicted of its cool provenance, the spry Hailey's Block bottling is the leanest and most delicate of the Hartford Pinots. It is, however, not at all lacking in focus and fruit, and its buoyant themes of lightly oaked, fresh-cherry fruit stay the course through to its long finish. Its overall style directs it to service with lighter foods, and it should be equally happy as a partner to meaty fish such as seared ahi tuna or to more traditional dishes like Coq au Vin.

Smooth and juicy; spicy, dense and ripe with cherry and long, lush texture and good balance.

Complex crushed wild blackberry and raspberry fruit has a nice mineral and pebble edge, and this gains momentum and depth on the finish, holding its fresh fruit character while remaining elegant and stylish. Drink now through 2012.

Made from the young vines at Arrendell which produce a bright and seductive wine with silky spices, bing cherries, brown sugar and tea.

One of my favorites of this group is the 2006 Pinot Noir Hailey’s Block Arrendell Vineyard. It exhibits a medium ruby color along with notes of clove and allspice intermixed with pomegranate, red berry, and currant scents. With beautiful fruit, medium body, and no hard edges, it can be drunk now and over the next 2-3 years.

The 2005 Pinot Noir Jennifer’s comes from a vineyard in the well-known Petaluma Wind Gap, which is a funnel for winds coming off the Pacific and churning into the Russian River Valley. It is a very cold area, and the wine reflects that in its hints of sassafras, pomegranate, cherry, and strawberry. The wine is dark ruby, medium-bodied, with zesty acidity, and a heady finish.

A substantial Pinot from first sniff to aftertaste, this full bodied bottling displays a bit of youthful narrowness to its ripe black cherry fruit, but it also carries a touch of enriching chocolate that helps fill things out. Plush and near to velvety in feel, the wine relies on the compelling richness that sets it apart to offset its finishing heat and tannin

The 2005 Pinot Noir Hailey’s Block comes from Green Valley’s Arrendell Vineyard, one of the coolest places for growing fruit in northern California. This vineyard, which is at a modest elevation, has produced a wine with medium ruby color, notes of cranberries, strawberries, and red currants with hints of pomegranate and earth. The wine has tart acidity, beautiful fruit purity, and a fragrant bouquet. It is definitely a cool-climate Pinot, but an impeccably well-made one. Drink it over the next 4-5 years.

Tobacco and pipe resin scents meld with the vinous cherry flavors of this pinot. It's generous and richly oaked; built for roast duck with cherries.

Exhibits a medium dark ruby color as well as a big, sweet nose of raspberries, pomegranate, cranberries, and allspice. Round, rich, and elegant with a hint of sassafras, it should be drunk over the next 5-7 years.

Good medium red. Smoky red fruits, chocolate, leather and cola on the nose. Supple and lush, with a captivating spice character lifting the cocoa powder and mocha flavors. Very sweet, soft pinot, finishing with smooth tannins and subtle persistence.

Full red. Aromas of blueberry, smoke and fresh herbs, plus a whiff of sulfides. Fat and broad but uncompromisingly dry; showing more spice and cola than primary fruit. Finished with substantial ripe tannins and lovely persistence.

Lots of complex, juicy fruit, with pretty plum, raspberry, black cherry and spicy notes, staying tightly focused and finishing with a long, a long, crisp aftertaste. A new Zin from Hartford Court…

…reveals a saturated dark purple color, as well as more pepper and black raspberries in its moderately intense aromatics. This lovely, rich, medium to full-bodied wine balances power with finesse.

Smooth, ripe, rich and polished, with jammy raspberry , blackberry, cherry and spice (white pepper). Long, intricate aftertaste.

Lots to admire in this ripe, will-rounded Zin, with peppery cherry, cranberry tart plum an cedar notes. A distinctive, complex style; Hartford Court's first Zin from this vineyard.

There are abundant quantities of jammy black cherries and raspberries, intermixed with pepper and toasty oak in this medium to full-bodied yet elegant wine.

Has a nice sense of harmony and finesse, striking a fine balance between its core of cherry and raspberry flavors and its light oak shadings.