Grapelive Daily Pick
By Kerry Winslow
***
2007 Martin Alfaro Pinot Noir “Lester Family Vineyard” Santa Cruz Mountains.
One of my favorite vintners, Richard Alfaro, Alfaro Family Vineyards and Joe Martin have been putting out wonderful Pinots from top central coast vineyard sites for many years now and this has always been a super vineyard and had been known in earlier vintages as the “Deer Park Vineyard”, making dark and rich wines that really pack a punch of flavors. This intense vintage, with an amazingly dark hue, is looking great all ready, and I think it is only just showing its potential, as it still is very young and tight with a huge and powerful palate. The nose is lush and has plenty of fruit, flowers and sweet oak notes before a rich mouth of blackberries, currants, plums and dark cherries, there is also a thick creamy texture that is full and shows silky tannins and balanced acidity. This Pinot Noir has a super long finish with lots of layers unfolding and it just gets better and better with air as the wine opens up. In the background there is cassis, mocha, grenadine and vanilla and it picks up a sweet perfume as it comes to live over a few minutes in the glass. Best to give this Pinot some time to develop with some short term cellaring, though if you like big wines then go ahead and start popping corks! I should also mention the very deep and dark color, as it is beautiful and gives you a big hint as to what will follow when you drink it. This is a wine for those looking for a little secret to impress your friends and a stunning wine for the price. ($35-40 Est.) 93-94 Points, grapelive
www.martinalfaro.com
***