2008 Balcombe Vineyard Block 1 B Pinot Noir

2008 Balcombe, Block 1B: This site is now taking on new levels of seriousness as it starts to enter into maturity. The vines are now 17 years of age and what was once a very enjoyable interplay of sweet fruit, dense structure and good balance has turned into a more meshed and polished wine than we have seen. Balcombe Vineyard is located at an ideal elevation and has great aspect and exposure on the southwest side of the Breyman Orchard Rd. hill. The 2008 vintage marks the 11th consecutive year we have worked with and farmed this vineyard. It is long term relationships like this, especially with older vineyard sites, that make for Pinot Noirs that serious Pinot Noir drinkers come to expect.

The 2008 vintage of the Block 1B offers a wine that is going to require some time to come together. This is a big, dark wine with fruit, earthiness and spice rolled into a firmly crafted package of bright acidity and chewy tannins. In contrast to the bottling from the rest of the vineyard this is meant to show of the rugged dark fruit, iron-tinged soil and structure that occasionally lingers in the mostly red-fruited Dundee Hills. This wine is meant to start off aggressively in its youth and become richer and smoother over time. This can be a touch disjointed because of its scale in its youth, especially in a year like 2008 where even more structure is brought to bear on many of the wines. This is impressive and broad-shouldered now but will be one of the wines most rewarded by being forgotten for a bit. This was aged in 28% new barrels with the rest of the barrels being once filled casks. 170 cases bottled.