2010 Dehlinger Pinot Noir Altamont Vineyard
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The 2010 Pinot Noir Altamont displays a deeper pigmented dark ruby color along with sweet aromas of boysenberries, black cherries and spring flowers, a rich, broad, savory mouthfeel, and seemingly lower acidity, although it just may possess more richness than the 2011. It should drink well for a decade. The ever reliable Tom Dehlinger continues to turn out realistically priced wines of exceptionally high quality. Their newest offerings, the Altamont Pinot Noir and Syrah, come from a hilltop vineyards planted in gravelly red soils previously called “Estate.” The Frei Road Syrah emanates from a 2.5-acre block of what was the Martinelli-owned Zio Tony Ranch. Dehlinger has never been one to utilize a tremendous amount of new oak for their Chardonnay program, and both the 2010 and 2011 Estate Chardonnays reflect that. Tel. (707) 823-2378
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2010 Pinot Noir Altamont Vineyard is quite a bit fresher and more vibrant than the Goldridge. Here the aromas and flavors are quite floral, while the fruit tends to the redder side of the spectrum. Wonderfully alive in the glass, the 2010 is a model of elegance and pure beauty with a clean refined finish.
Ruby-red. Heady, expansive aromas of dark berries, cherry-cola, Asian spices and musky herbs, with a floral overtone. Stains the palate with intense blackberry and cherry compote flavors and shows very good energy and lift. Tannins come on late and fold smoothly into the wine's bright, densely packed fruit. Rich but lively, even graceful, with excellent finishing clarity, vibrancy and persistence.
The 2010 Pinot Noir Altamont Vineyard Old Vines is playing its cards very close to the vest at this stage. There is plenty of depth and richness in the fruit, but today the structural elements are quite imposing. Plums, dark cherries, cola and spices are all backed up by considerable structure. I suspect the 2010 will require a few years to fully come together, but it is nevertheless pretty impressive today. In 2010, the Altamont bottling includes the High Plains grapes.