Winemaker Notes
The 2004 Jensen Vineyard Pinot Noir is immediately captivating with amazingly complex aromas of Bing cherry, ripe currant, sweet spiciness and a hint of violets. On the palate the ripe fruit flavors intermingle with exotic spice and limestone earthiness. This full bodied wine, with its excellent balance and structure, and integrated fine-grained tannins, promises to age beautifully for the next ten to fifteen years.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.