A fascinating and totally intriguing wine, the 2010 Pinot Noir Abbey Harris is laced with an attractive melange of dark red cherries, tobacco, smoke and licorice, all supported by the slightly firm tannins that are typical of the site. This is an unusual Pinot in that the fruit lies more in the background, while intensely savory notes dominate. Hints of dried flowers and crushed herbs reappear on the finish. This is another beautiful, highly pleasing Pinot from Anthill Farms. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2020. This is another set of gorgeous wines from Anthill Farms. Proprietor Anthony Filiberti comments that 2010 was a challenging growing season. A cold, wet spring resulted in an irregular flowering, which lowered yields and left the plants with grapes and clusters in varying stages of development. The only way to achieve full ripeness was to sacrifice the fruit that lagged in maturity, which reduced yields even further. These sacrifices paid off, however, and as a result, Anthill Farms produced a fabulous set of wines. Filiberti typically uses 40-50% stems and prefers low amounts of new oak. These are some of the most transparent, graceful Pinots being made in California today. Pricing remains quite fair within the context of top-echelon California Pinot.Tel. (707) 385-9396

The 2009 Pinot Noir Abbey Harris is a big, structured wine that might easily be mistaken for a Barbaresco given its tannic heft. Sweet red cherries, mint, flowers and spices sit on a medium-bodied frame of notable elegance. As good as this is, the Abbey Harris needs at least a year in bottle for the tannins to soften. It is a beautiful wine, even if it isn’t what most California Pinot drinkers are likely to expect. Still, with time in the glass, the wine shows off its pedigree and sheer class. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2019. This line-up from Anthill Farms is very impressive. The Pinots in particular are distinctive and well deserving of serious consideration.Tel. (707) 385-9396