About

In the 2005 vintage, Saintsbury marked its first release of a vineyard
designated Pinot Noir from outside of the Carneros AVA with the Cerise Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. Cerise is a well-known vineyard planted on the steep slopes of the southwest facing hills just north of the town of Booneville. The estate is comprised of 37 planted acres in many small blocks ranging over the 200 acre site. Saintsbury’s blocks are located at the higher elevations between 700-1,000 feet with southerly through northwesterly aspects on slopes of 10-25 degrees.
Shallow gravelly loam soils predominate and combined with the steep aspect and excellent drainage give shy yields in the 1.5–2.5 tons/acre.

With the fifth vintage of Cerise Pinot Noir in 2009, we see once again, the heady perfume of dark berry spiciness mixed with an undercurrent of herbal intrigue. The sunny but cool and breezy days of this northern coastal valley offer great acidity with a fine backbone of ripe tannins that together provide a structural core balancing the concentrated black cherry mid-palate. A delicious and definite keeper!

Reviews

90 pts.Vintage: 2009
Wine SpectatorAugust 31, 2011

A streak of loamy earth and leather puts a tamper on the fruit, built around dried berry, sage, anise and cedar. Medium-to full-bodied, finishing with a return to the loamy earth start. Drink now through 2022.

89 pts.Vintage: 2007
Burghound.com4th Quarter, 2009

From Anderson Valley fruit bottled at 14%. The nose reveals an earthy and ripe mix of plum, violet and dark red berry fruit aromas that precede rich, supple and nicely concentrated middle weight flavors that possess an attractive mouth feel and a dusty, sappy and again, moderately structured finish where there is both good balance and solid length. This needs time as it is not a wine to approach now, even with air.

89 pts.Vintage: 2007
Wine Spectator InsiderJune 3, 2009

Focused on a core of wild berry and strawberry fruit that’s supple, elegant and medium-bodied, ending with a delicate aftertaste. Drink now through 2013.

90 pts.Vintage: 2006
Burghound.comOctober, 2008

Here the nose is a step up in aromatic elegance with an ever so slightly riper array of cherry, raspberry and red pinot fruit that also carries very subtle spice notes that are reflected on the naturally sweet, intense, pure and balanced middle weight flavors that possess a dusty mouth feel and a bit better overall balance on the punchy and mouth coating finish. This is a pretty effort that should age reasonably well over the mid-term. It’s certainly worth a look.