Dark and more closed

energetic and beautifully persistent finish

vinified and matured in stainless steel

even though the musts here averaged a relatively high 89 degrees Oechsle

this beauty showed its powerful underlying medicinal reserve without losing its freshness

Mountford, Gradient Pinot Noir Brut Zero Dark and more closedMedium deep ruby colored, the 2009 The Gradient Pinot Noir envelops a core of red cherries and red currant aromas with notes of stems, dried Mediterranean herbs, damp loam and mossy tree bark. Medium to full bodied, it is a bit lean on the palate, with low to medium levels of chewy slightly astringent tannins, medium acidity and a long finish. Consider drinking it now to 2015.