|  Unoaked
Chardonnay 2005
A light straw color, with
a hint of effervescence from the consistent
cold temperatures up to bottling, glistens in
the glass. The bouquet is of white clover blossoms,
citrus and pear. Medium-bodied, the wine coats
the palate with striking notes of citrus, apple
and stone-like minerality. Yet, there is a roundness
as well that is reminiscent of the texture and
taste of a lemon-meringue pie.
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Chardonnay 2004
2004 was an extreme vintage.
A heat spike in early September caused early
ripening and elevated sugar levels. The 15-year
old vines at the Huber Vineyard, however, were
better able to weather the heat spell and produced
concentrated flavors in a carefully managed
yield. The wine is a honeyed color, golden hue
with occasional glints of light amber. A minerality
that is consistent with the vineyard is evident
on the nose, as are aromas of clove and a hint
of butterscotch.
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Chardonnay 2003
2003 was a vintage that resulted
in low-yields in the vineyard, but exceptional
quality in the fruit. A lovely light-straw color
and luminous brilliance delights the eye. The
minerality typically found in Santa Rita Hills
is first noticed on the nose, along with a floral
hint and aromas of warm oak and butterscotch.
On the palate, the nuances of butterscotch carry
through, along with citrus flavors of tangerine
and orange peel followed by the underlying stone
and seashore flavors.
Chardonnay 2002
Suggestions of star jasmine,
ripe pear and honeydew melon are evident on
the forward, alluring nose of this wine. The
lingering finish is made all the more pleasant
by a balanced acidic note and clean sensation
on the palate. Huber Chardonnay benefits from
only a slight chill, as a frost on the bottle
will serve to only mask the more delicate properties
of this wine. Best paired with mild cheeses,
salads and seafood dishes, but it is so evocative
and flavorful on its own, that it has been referred
to as an elegant sipping wine. While it will
cellar well for several more years, it is best
enjoyed in its youth.
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 Dornfelder
2004
It is hard to call Dornfelder
a red wine, as it is almost black in the glass.
Indigo perhaps, with flashes of amethyst. The
2004 vintage is bold and robust, with firm acidity
and integrated tannins. On the nose, there is
a licorice, a bit of mushroomy earthiness and
tobacco leaf, along with a hint of mint. The
aromas of the wine are reinforced by the first
taste, which bursts of ripe black plums and
pomegranates, black currants and cedar. The
texture is dense and yet smooth, and the lingering
finish is layers of dried berry, tar and nicely
integrated tannins.
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Dornfelder 2003
The 2003 Dornfelder is a gorgeous,
luscious, deeply hued red wine that is rich
in cassis, new leather and cocoa nuances. The
long finish yields layers upon layers of ripe
berry and rich cherry tobacco leaf flavors.
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Pinot Noir 2005
2005 was one of those years
that happens very rarely – the weather
in the spring was perfect as the vines flowered,
producing, by usual standards, a good number
of grape clusters per vine. And these clusters
grew to be slightly larger than usual. Then
the weather in early fall was perfect –
warm days and cold nights allowed this larger
than usual crop to develop perfectly. The Pinot
was picked by hand in late September.
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Pinot Noir 2004
A severe heat spike in September
2004 proved the value of having older vines
- while our neighbors struggled with overnight
ripening and plummeting acid levels, the deep
roots and established canopies of the Huber
Vineyard were able to contend with the heat,
and the Pinot was picked in great condition.The
bouquet is all Pinot Noir and Santa Rita Hills,
with blueberry, sage and a bit of caramel. The
taste of the wine echoes the aromas, adding
black cherry, dark ripe plums and rhubarb, and
followed by a lingering and enjoyable finish
replete with hints of hazelnut and earthiness.
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 Pinot
Noir 2002
Lauded as perhaps one of the
best years ever for Pinot Noir, 2002 yielded
very little fruit. Climatic conditions throughout
the growing season resulted in small, intense
clusters of Pinot Noir that produced wines of
intensity and complexity. Bright cherry flavors,
elegant hints of rose petals and rich caramel
nuances emerge in the glass. On the palate,
the wine is viscous and the finish is long and
lingering. A deep garnet color suggests great
fruit extraction, and the sound structure of
this wine should allow for some aging; at least
10 to 12 years from the vintage date on the
bottle.
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Pinot Noir 2001
One of our first commercial
wines, the 2001 Pinot Noir is just now coming
into its own. It has the classic flavors found
in the cool Santa Rita Hills – blueberries,
a little minerality, nuances of floral hints
and reminders of cocoa. Although now aged a
few years, the wine tends to be shy when first
opened, and will improve with decanting or a
bit of time in the glass.
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