Judging by how the finished Chehalem 2009 Pinot Noir Reserve showed for me in June, selection of barrels for this cuvee – designed, as it is, to maximize finesse and leave the more obviously rich and/or powerful material to the RR bottling – was a challenge in this vintage. There is a tart edge to the fruit here relatively unusual for 2009, but this somewhat awkwardly stands out against the background of bigger body and less focus or interplay than found in the 2010 Reserve. Still, this might simply need more time in bottle to knit, and will probably be worth following for at least half a dozen years. - David Schildknecht

his is a forward, even plush Reserve, loaded with generous black fruits and streaked with anise and cola notes. At first, the wine seemed to fade a bit too quickly, robbing the finish of expected complexity. But retasted on the second day, the wine had fleshed out beautifully.