Hundred Acre Vineyard Pinot Noir Cherry Pie

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The 2014s, which will be released next year, all look strong and of similar quality to their 2013 counterparts. The fruit is ripe, the texture is terrific and they are gorgeous Pinot Noirs, but more on them when we get closer to release date. Sadly, the production of all of these Pinot Noirs is relatively small, just like the Cabernet Sauvignons, averaging 600-1,000 cases of each.

Woodbridge’s Midas touch with Cabernet Sauvignon also extends to his Pinot Noirs. He makes three of them – two from the Sonoma Coast and one from the Southern Napa Valley site called Stanley Ranch that was often used by Berringer. From the Sonoma Coast, the 2013 Cherry Pie Pinot Noir Rodgers Creek shows darker fruits, a more muscular primordial style, with forest floor, hints of earth, barbecue smoke and blacker fruits than the Stanly Ranch. The wine is impressive, rich for a Pinot Noir, and best drunk over the next decade.

The appropriately named 2010 Cherry Pie offers up juicy red cherries, mint, cinnamon and cloves. In this vintage, the Cherry Pie has tons of energy and minerality to support the racy, sleek fruit. Sweet floral notes add lift on the finish. The 2010 is a gorgeous, exuberant Cherry Pie with great balance and overall harmony. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016. Jayson Woodbridge’s Layer Cake range of entry and mid-priced wines is chock full of great values. Tel. (707) 967-9398

The 2009 Pinot Noir Cherry Pie is deep and concentrated. It shows tons of textural richness in its sweet, candied fruit. There is no shortage of lush, overt fruit here. The alcohol comes through a bit on the finish, which is the only thing that keeps the score from going higher. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016. (Not yet released)Proprietor Jayson Woodbridge makes some of the most unique, deeply personal wines in Napa Valley. Very late harvests and minimal intervention in the cellar, including no rackings until bottling, are just some of the choices that inform these wines. Woodbridge’s vineyards are in St. Helena (Kayli Morgan), the lower part of Howell Mountain (Ark) and Calistoga (Few and Far Between). Woodbridge is less reliant on outside consultants than many of his colleagues, so the wines bear very specific signatures that are unlike those of other wines being made in the Valley. The late harvests give the wines super-ripe fruit that can at times veer towards sweetness, but it is the extreme silkiness and finesse of the tannins that differentiates these wines. Woodbridge believes wines must be ready to go upon release and frowns upon decanting or advance aeration, which he doesn’t think should be necessary. As outstanding as these wines can be upon release, the reality is that the wines have also proven to age exceptionally well. I tasted a huge number of wines with Woodbridge and his team, but it was two wines with some bottle age (the 2000 and 2006 Kayli Morgan) that made the deepest impression. I hope Hundred Acre fans can find the discipline to put away a few bottles. The transformation of these wines in bottle is remarkable. These no-holds-barred Cabernets aren’t for everyone, but they are compelling and highly individualistic, just like Woodbridge himself.Tel. (707) 967-9398

A wine not to be ignored is the 7,000-8,000-case production of Pinot Noir. The 2008 Pinot Noir Cherry Pie, which comes from the Stanly Ranch in Napa Valley, is appropriately named. Sweet black cherry aromas intermixed with loamy soil, herb and spice undertones jump from the glass of this medium to full-bodied, luscious Pinot Noir. It is meant to be enjoyed during its first 3-4 years of life. (Not yet released)From meticulous harvesting berry by berry rather than grape bunch by grape bunch, to an obsessive/compulsive barrel regime as well as winemaking, Hundred Acre is the Napa outpost of visionary and a genius – Jayson Woodbridge. In addition to his original 9-acre Kayli Morgan Vineyard east of St. Helena, he has added a 15-acre parcel on Howell Mountain, and another parcel near the Eisele Vineyard in the northeastern end of Napa Valley called Few and Far Between. Jayson Woodbridge, never content to just make one Cabernet Sauvignon, has added a few other cuvees, one called Deep Time, which is essentially his commitment to very long barrel-aged Cabernet Sauvignon, and Precious, a selection of primarily the best barrels in the cellar. There is even another project, called Fortunate Son, which is another long barrel-aged wine made from selections Woodbridge makes. Perhaps all this is too much for many people, as these are relatively limited selections. Yet, most importantly, these wines are characterized by extraordinarily silky tannins, and an opulence and voluptuous texture that are irresistible. Moreover, they are capable of lasting for two decades in top vintages, such as 2007 and 2008. All the 2007s except for the Deep Time and Fortunate Son are in bottle, and are living up to the high promise of this stunningly opulent, showy, complex vintage. 2008 is another super-strong vintage for most of Napa Valley’s top Cabernet producers. It is just a notch below 2007 for most producers although some have matched and even eclipsed their 2007 counterparts.Tel. (707) 967-9398; Fax (707) 968-9658