I mean, this 2008 Gazzi Estate Vineyards Pinot Noir is pretty great stuff, and you only get five bottles of it. It’s not the kind of wine you just start pouring willy-nilly at whatever dinner party or get-together you happen to be at. Maybe you should review a few of your relationships before offering glasses to any old acquaintance or blood relative.
Take Stephen, for example. Sure, he’s been a good friend for nearly fifteen years, but what has he really done for you in that time? Does bailing you out of jail a few times when you were younger automatically mean parting with a gulp of dark ruby-hued splendor? Is the simple act of just being “best” man at your wedding enough to let him experience the supple tannins and soft dryness of this premium wine?
What about Colleen? She’s nice and all, but what do you really know about her? She’s your wife’s friend, after all, and technically not yours. Not really. And though you trusted her enough to be the doula at the birth of your child, she’s still a little too far this side of “undeserving” to take in the aromas of sweet cherry candy, strawberry, blueberry and soft violets, don’t you think? She could definitely try a little harder to prove herself.
And then there’s Mom, your dear old sweet mother. She’s done her best to raise you right and always support you no matter what. OR SO SHE SAYS. But she never did come through with those Ninja classes you wanted to take when you were seven, did she? You could be a ninja assassin right now, killing on command and having adventures if it wasn’t for her meddling! Sorry, Mom, but you’re not going to be able to play the “43 hours of labor” card today! No delicious and perfectly balanced Bing cherry, strawberry, blueberry and soft, sweet cedar flavors for you!
Come to think of it, maybe it’s best if you and your wife just keep all five bottles to yourselves. Then again, your wife did forget to kiss you before leaving for work this morning, didn’t she? Hmmm.
2008 Gazzi Estate Vineyards Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
Dark ruby hues, with even coloration, from core to edge. At the very edge, where wine meets glass, a fine ring of bright pink encircles the wine. After swirling, long, skinny tears fall slowly from high up on the glass. Aromas of sweet cherry candy, strawberry, blueberry and soft violets. As the wine opens, it also reveals cherry cola, soft brown spice, black cherry and a hint of sweet cedar. Soft and light-weight mouthfeel at first. Then, the wine hovers across the mid-palate, where it takes on a soft weightiness. Supple tannins add complexity, driving a soft dryness from the center of the tongue, to the edges of the mouth. On the palate, this wine is delicious and flavorful, with Bing cherry, strawberry, blueberry and soft, sweet cedar. These are perfectly balanced against, dried violets, earthy black cherry, black tea leaf and a hint of dark leather. The finish is long and sweet, with flavors that evolve and change before they slowly fade. Red fruit gradually gives way to earthy flavors and soft spice. At the tail end, minerals and soft, sweet spice linger on.
After decades of creating and crafting premium wines for wineries like Santino and Folie a Deux – and putting Amador County on the map as a world-class appellation – Scott Harvey launched his own winery in 2004. With decades of winemaking experience on two continents, it’s no wonder his wines have become an immediate sensation. It’s an overnight success 35 years in the making. (Oh, and Scott’s not too shabby with a pen, either.)
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