The aromas of this wine are, again, distinctly forward and multilayered. The clean brightness of fruit is what sets this vintage apart. A predominance of "red fruits" is accented by a touch of exotic East Indian spice and a "kiss" of well-seasoned French oak. The texture is plush and round with the underlying structure and acidity not becoming apparent until the late palate and finish. This Pinot was a joy to blend with it never ceasing to amaze us how the sum can be so much greater than the parts. And there were several parts! Five key vineyards and five minor ones were the sources for the blend this year; with two of the key vineyards being Camp Meeting Ridge and our new ranch off Fort Ross Road. The purity of this wine is what is so striking and reflects the preciseness and delineation of fruit that was a common denominator in many of the Pinot lots this vintage. Drinking surprisingly well for such a young wine, I believe this vintage will continue to evolve and improve over the next 3 years.

Producer

As nursery owners in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Walt and Joan Flowers had long dreamed of combining their love of wine with their passion for agriculture. They knew they wanted to produce their favorite varietals, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; what they didn't know was that their path would eventually lead them across country to Northern California's rugged Sonoma Coast. After responding to a small classified ad in a national wine publication, that's exactly where they landed. In 1989, after many information-gathering trips to Napa and Sonoma, Walt and Joan purchased 321 acres, including a ridge top, high above the Pacific Ocean on the northern Sonoma Coast. With the same determination they drew on to build their successful nursery business; the Flowers proceeded with the dream of producing their favorite cool-climate varietals in a place they believed uniquely suited to growing them. Today, Flowers Winery produces 15,000 cases of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from its two estate properties, Camp Meeting Ridge and Flowers Ranch, as well as select vineyards in the coolest regions of the Sonoma Coast AVA, which are farmed to Flowers' specifications by their own crews. In addition to direct consumer sales, the wines are sold to fine restaurants and retailers in the US and overseas.