(made from a blend of Wadensil and Pommard clones): Bright ruby-red. Black raspberry, cherry-cola, star anise and violet on the perfumed nose. Pliant, sappy dark fruit flavors are lifted by juicy acidity and gain spiciness with air. Shows very good energy and focus on the finish, which leaves spicecake and dark berry skin notes behind.

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From a relatively upper-elevation location on their property and vines of Pommard Selection, the Sheas' 2010 Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard Block 31 sojourned in 80% new barrels whose effects are, to my taste, a tad irritatingly obvious, at least at this youthful stage. Ripe cherry seasoned with sage, horehound, cocoa, and caramelized oak resin make for an attention-getting nose, and there is an excellent palate trade-off of rich and expansive flavors and a mere 13.5% alcohol (typical for the entire 2010 Shea collection), but in the finish the synergy of grape and oak tannins is not entirely welcome, and results in a bit of drying and a dominance of resinous, toasty, and caramelized flavors over the sappy fruit that managed to prevail mid-palate. That said, I don't wish to minimize the rich appeal this has, and perhaps (though I am always rather skeptical of such claims) the oak flavors will not only better integrate with time but will liberate the fruit from drying tannin. At the very least, I am sure this will remain in robust health for the better part of a decade.

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