The 2009 Zinfandel North Flats Forchini Vineyard bursts from the glass with an exiting melange of dark cherries, wild herbs and flowers, all supported by a vein of underlying acidity. The wine’s density and sheer richness emerge with time in the glass. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2021. I tasted a dizzying array of Pinot Noirs from Williams Selyem and winemaker Bob Cabral. Yields were down in 2009 because of bunch-stem necrosis, a condition that can occur because of weather/humidity extremes or mineral imbalances. Otherwise, it was a pretty regular vintage with an even set and a harvest that took place beginning in early September.Tel. (707) 433-6425

Quite a good Zinfandel, although it does show some of the weaknesses that strike this vineyard in a cool year. You’ll find a smooth, full-bodied wine, with ample tannins and fine berry-cherry fruit and spices. Yet it’s curiously ambiguous in the mouth, and the concentration falls apart midpalate. ——S.H.(2/1/2012)—— 87