The Huber Vineyard adds one more component to this matrix of favorable conditions – vine age. One of the first vineyards planted within the appellation, the now twenty year old Pinot Noir vines augment the wines with a deep sense of minerality and terroir.

After the larger than normal crop of 2005, we had it in the back of our minds that 2006 might bring a smaller yield. It was also a very cool year, with no heat spikes at all and very little rain to speak of. The result was a small crop of small clusters. The positive side of that equation is that the wines are nicely concentrated due to the small berry size, and the negative side is that there just isn’t a lot of wine. We produced only 385 cases of 2006 Pinot Noir and 50 cases of 375ml half-bottles.

An opalescent magenta color first hints of the concentrated flavors of the vintage. Provide a good, aggressive swirl in your burgundy wine glass to unleash the bright cherry and dried strawberry notes of the wine’s bouquet. A first taste reveals additional notes of raspberry, smoke and peppery spice, all enveloped in a silky and soft texture. There is a nice lift of bright acid on the finish, which reinforces the cherry notes along with hints of cola and whole clove. We recommend decanting this wine and allowing it to breathe a little before tasting, and it definitely is a wine that shines with food. The 2006 Pinot Noir is enjoyable now, but will continue to improve with cellaring.

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