Only a Burgundian ideologue would find anything not to like about this mouth-filling Pinot that captures the essence of Santa Rita Hills. It’s as voluptuous as any Pinot in California, offering waves of ripe, fleshy cherries, red currants, licorice and smoky vanilla that just don’t stop in palate appeal. For all that, the wine is elegant, silky and refined. Delicious now, although a little tannic, and will benefit from decanting and aging. Bring on the steak.

Nothing short of a powerhouse Pinot that is unstinting in both deep fruit and rich oak, this very plush, full-bodied bottling pulls back from the brink of runaway excess and shows remarkably good balance for the very big wine that it is. Still a bit gruff and a touch taut at the finish, it never lets go of its wonderfully keen fruit, and all signs point to an impressive peak some five or six years down the line.

The 2006 Ten is medium ruby with bricking at the edges. Beautiful black tea notes leap from the glass with cedar and mint. The palate is medium-bodied with impressive fruit weight. Ripe cherry fruit is just now sliding into the dried-fruit territory. Some pops of tobacco and leather, vanilla and cedar, with sappy tannins supported by crisp, crunchy acidy. It still has plenty of life.

The medium ruby-colored 2006 Pinot Noir Ten (which signifies the 10 different clones from which it is produced) reveals a sumptuous perfume of raspberries, black cherries, strawberries, underbrush, and spice. Volnay-like in the mouth with loads of red fruits, medium to full body, sweet tannins, and good acidity, this complex, evolved Pinot should be consumed over the next 3-4 years. - Robert Parker