Medium-light ruby; forward, deep, cedary, raspberry and black cherry fruit aroma with hints of clove, cola, and forest floor; medium body; earthy, red fruit flavors with some richness in the plummy, supple mouthfeel; medium tannin; lingering aftertaste. Enjoyable to drink now and over the next two to four years. Very highly recommended.

The 2015 Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley) is a lovely appellation wine. Juicy, forward and delicious, the 2015 is everything one could ask for in an appellation level Pinot. Once again, the purity of the flavors is striking.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Land's Edge Vineyards is plump, juicy and approachable. Floral and savory notes add aromatic lift to the intense dark fruit, yet this remains an especially succulent Pinot for the Sonoma Coast.

Medium-light to medium ruby; attractive, spicy, raspberry and cherry fruit aroma with earthy notes and hints of clove and cardamom; medium body; rich, textured, spicy, cherry and red berry fruit flavors with good depth and balance, bright acidity, and hints of Asian spices; medium to medium-full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Appealing to drink now. Very highly recommended.

The 2013 Pinot Noir Land's Edge Vineyards is soft, open and expressive, all of which suggest it is best enjoyed over the next few years. Dark red cherry, plum, spice and a hint of new oak meld together on the supple finish. The Land's Edge is a blend of fruit from Far Coast and Seascape, and is a great introduction to the house style.

Medium reddish purple hue in the glass. Very slight reduction. Riper fruit aromas featuring spiced plum, boysenberry and black cherry. Welcome charge of black cherry and purple berry fruits on entry with an underlying riff of baking spices and citrus. Nicely integrated acidity, but the slightly grainy tannins need more time to moderate.

Bright red. Zesty red berry and Asian spice scents are complemented by deeper-pitched notes of licorice and mocha. Shows vibrancy and tension on the palate, offering bitter cherry and redcurrant flavors and a touch of earthiness. Closes tangy and long, with slow-building tannins lending shape.

A new offering, the 2012 Pinot Noir Marin County comes from that wealthy county on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge on the way to Sonoma. Its dark ruby color is followed by notes of forest floor, autumnal vegetation, earth, cloves, black cherries and plums. Elegant, medium-bodied, refreshing and lighter-styled, but intense, it can be drunk over the next 5-6 years.

Moderately light reddish purple color in the glass. Aromas of forest and spice lead to a lighter weight wine featuring purple berry flavors with a hint of citrus in the background. Fresh, with supple tannins, and a high-strung finish.

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.