2006 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Extremely promising, the closed 2006 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard boasts earthy, raspberry, red and black currant notes intermixed with subtle background oak, smoke, and charcoal. The tannins seem to creep up in the finish, something I did not notice last year. The most structured of these Pinots, it requires another 1-2 years of bottle age, and should last for 4-5 years. It is hard to find better Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs than those created by Mark Aubert under his Aubert label. Aubert’s resume is outstanding, having previously worked under Helen Turley. He also served as chief winemaker at Peter Michael as well as at Colgin, making Bordeaux blends and Syrah. In addition to producing his own wines, he is currently the winemaker at Bryant Family Vineyards. Aubert’s extraordinary Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs are fashioned from cool climate sites on the Sonoma Coast. In 2006, he only produced two Chardonnays because of botrytis in the vineyards. Employing a ruthless selection process, he had the courage to totally declassify vineyards with which he was not happy. There are two Aubert Pinot Noirs produced, one from the Reuling Vineyard that represents a 50-50 blend of the so-called Calera Clone and a clone from the most famous vineyard in Vosne-Romanee (legal issues prevent anyone from naming this grand cru vineyard). The other Pinot Noir comes from the UV Vineyard, named after the brilliant viticulture manager, Ulises Valdez. In spite of Aubert’s brilliance with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, he has not yet hit a home run with his Bordeaux blends from David Abreu’s vineyard on Howell Mountain. Tel. (707) 942-5611; Fax (707) 942-1573. Note: Prices are 2 to 3 times higher in the secondary market than the winery’s retail.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Good deep, bright red. More earth and iron and less primary fruits and flowers on the nose, owing to the clay content in the soil. Then large-scaled and plump with fruit in the mouth, showing a sappy quality and more energy than the Rueling if not quite the same early pliancy. Blueberry and wild strawberry flavors emerged with air. Finishes lush and broad, with noble tannins and outstanding length.
About the producer
The Aubert wines, particularly the Chardonnay, have a cult following – beloved for their rich, hedonistic style. Created by Mark and Theresa Aubert in 1999, the property makes some of California’s most sought-after Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, all from single vineyards across Sonoma.