This is essentially DDO’s reserve Pinot Noir; it requires some patience at first, because it is quite tight, almost inscrutable. With many hours of breathing it fleshes out and opens up, revealing a wine with interesting nuances of cured meat, mushroom and light earth. The fruit is a notch more concentrated and full than the regular DDO, but retains a sense of tart berry and light cherry rather than being sweet or jammy. This absolutely must be decanted well in advance.——P.G.(4/1/2009)—— 92