Fermented with wild yeast and aged for 15 months in French barriques, 35% new, the 2009 Rachel Pinot Noir casts a medium ruby-purple color and gives notes of fresh blackberries and black cherries with an undercurrent of black truffles, loam and forest floor plus a hint of menthol. Full bodied and generously fruited in the mouth, it is well structured with a medium level of tight-knit, grainy tannins and crisp acidity. The finish is long and earthy. Drink this one now to 2016+. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown

Here the nose is similar to that of the 2010 Leah except that the spice elements are more pronounced. There is the same cool and restrained mouth feel to the silky medium weight flavors that display a very subtle hint of vegetal character to the delicious and well-balanced finish. Vegetal characters in wine can sometimes be off putting yet in other cases they can add depth and flavor interest and in this case the effect is more in the latter instance. In sum this is really very pretty.