Twomey Pinot Noir Napa Valley 2009

This is a decidedly assertive wine on the nose with graham cracker and cocoa notes accenting the meaty, black cherry fruit that shows hints of black tea, cola, coriander seed and vanilla. With it’s big, rich entry this is a bit deceptive at first but quickly rallies to show great acidic spice and fine freshness. The fruit has a lovely stemmy edge to it in the mouth and is fresher than the nose suggests. The tannins are really soft, giving the wine some breadth while not detracting from the core of wild cherry fruit that flows across the palate. There is a bit of wood tannin that pops on the finish, and while this comes of as a bit simple it shows great purity to the fruit and finishes with solid length. 90pts

Intense and a bit meaty on the nose with a fruity and slightly jammy blend of vanilla, strawberry cream and black cherry cola aromas, wrapped with notes of alderwood and candied violets. Zesty with bright acidity and a really well integrated, smooth texture in the mouth. This is light- to medium-bodied because of the brightness of the acidity, even though the fruit is explosively rich and perhaps a touch sticky on the palate. Red plums and candied cherry come together on the palate along with hints of vanilla and cranberry/rhubarb compote. This finishes with just as much energy and brightness as it displays on the palate and just enough tannin to keep it grounded and focused through the finish. This is damn fun to drink and delicious. 93pts

Subdued on the nose, with a soft blackberry note topped by a light, dried citrus zest tone and gentle, smoky oak notes. Rather tense on entry and with fairly assertive acids, though the fruit fairly quickly conceals most of the acidity. The tannins are small and fairly finely textured but not so polished as to render this with textural contrast. The mouthfeel is honest and fresh, and the mid-palate shows nice cherry fruit with a hint of red plum, before turning slightly spicy with herbal top notes and a creamy, oak-inflected element that drives the subtle yet long finish. This is a somewhat understated wine, but for those who favor subtlety over power and enjoy an elegant Pinot this is a solid choice. 93pts