Wine: 2009 Capiaux Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard
Region: California
Sokolin Price: $42.99/btl
Rating: 94 RP

The cover story of the most recent edition of Wine Spectator features 2009 California Pinot Noir. We all remember how impressive the 2007 vintage was for Cali Pinot Noir & for Cabernet too, so it's exciting to have another fantastic vintage. Wine Spectator's James Laube praises the 2009 Cali Pinot Noirs..."There is no such thing as a perfect vintage. But 2009 comes close to nirvana for California Pinot Noir. Without a doubt, 2009 ranks alongside 2007 as the best vintage this decade. But in terms of the number of great wines, '09 is head and shoulders above any other vintage in California Pinot Noir history." - James Laube (Wine Spectator, "Approaching Perfection"). According to the article, 55% of the 2009 Pinot Noirs tasted & reviewed were scored 90 points or higher by Wine Spectator. 

We always love to hear what the critics say, but more importantly, we have to taste for ourselves! And admittedly, we enjoy doing so. Last evening, we tasted a bottle of 2009 Capiaux Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard, paired with roasted chicken and sliced potatoes drizzled with truffle oil. This wine was rated 94 points by Robert Parker. And only 317 cases of this wine were produced, which is a very, very tiny production. The nose was incredible and revealed hints of bright red fruit and fresh garden flowers. It was silky, elegant & refined with strong flavors of jam, jelly, & a hint of mushrooms with a light touch of oak. This medium-bodied wine is showing incredibly well right now.

Capiaux Cellars was founded in 1994 by Sean Capiaux, who has an impressive background being the former assistant winemaker at Peter Michael Winery. Capiaux produces only Pinot Noir from single vineyard bottlings, & his wines are unfined & unfiltered. We are all familiar with hearing stories of how tough it is to grow the Pinot Noir grape, so to make a wine as outstanding as the bottling from Garys' Vineyard is a true testament to Capiaux's winemaking abilities.

Recommendation: Pinot Noir lovers do not want to miss this one! It's $42.99/btl, & is worth every bit of its price. This wine is alive! Our stock is quickly diminishing, so grab some today!

Our Score - 94
Current Drinkability - A