Winemaker Notes
The 2006 Pahlmeyer Pinot Noir has a deep dark garnet color. In the glass the aromas open immediately, revealing layers of rich dense fruit, earth and sweet spices. The palate also offers layers upon layers of concentrated small berries, black raspberry and cherries, balanced with nicely integrated oak. This full bodied wine finishes with finesse and long lingering flavors.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
There are 1,600 cases of the 2006 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, a 100% destemmed cuvee made from Dijon clones 667, 828, and 777. It reveals classic Cote de Nuits aromas of damp forest floor, black raspberries, cherries, and spring flowers. With terrific fruit, full body, ripe tannin, and a round, generous, savory mouthfeel already displaying tremendous complexity, it should drink well for 7-8 years. Almost half of the fruit comes from Pahlmeyer’s own 24-acre Pinot Noir parcel at his Sonoma Coast vineyard called Wayfarer. Things just seem to get better and better at Pahlmeyer, a long-standing, brilliant, remarkably consistent source for one of Napa’s finest Merlots, Chardonnays, and Pinot Noirs.
The Sonoma Coast AVA is large in area but, not counting overlapping regions like Russian River Valley, only has a few thousand acres of grapevines—and it’s no wonder. Much of the region is rugged and not easily accessible. Its proximity to the Pacific Ocean’s fog and cool breezes limits the varieties that can be cultivated, but it proves to be an ideal environment for high quality Pinot Noir.
Since fog is a frequent fact of life here, as are heavy marine layers that sometimes bring rain, the best vineyards are wisely planted above the fog line, on picturesque ridges that capture enough sun to provide even ripening. That, with the overnight drop in temperature that reliably preserves acidity, results in fine expressions of Pinot Noir that often receive tremendous critic and consumer praise alike, and are often in high demand.