Patricia Green Cellars Pinot noir Whistling Ridge 09

When we began with this wine in 2003 for one reason or another it has always been the most idiosyncratic wine in the cellar each vintage. The evolution of this vineyard and the wine that comes off of it has been terrific to witness first hand. In the past we have always described this Pinot as one that the people who like it really like it and those that don’t like it tend to be turned off by its jumpy nature. That description started fading in 2008 and will be all but gone with the 2009. As always there is a high-toned, distinctly red raspberry quality to both the aromatics and the flavor profile. However, the vineyard has now matured to the point where the jumpy acidity and tannin that blew some people away have mellowed to the point where the back end is like a raspberry brulee complete with the crunchy, toasted brown sugar shell to it. It is quite the wine. Incredible intensity but with such a level of plushness that we have not come to expect from this particular wine. This is a personal favorite in the cellar this year and you would do well to take a second look at this vineyard if you have passed it by over the last few vintages. For fans of this wines, you have a treat in store. About 240 cases to be bottled. - the winery

Previous Vintage Tasting Notes

2008 Vintage Tasting Notes

Patricia Green Cellars Pinot noir Whistling Ridge 08 - Sweet and fresh blackberry, boysenberry, and black raspberry flavors gush from the glass. This wine is intensely concentrated, almost lush, with balanced tannins and a spicy, smoky finish. The berry fruit is accented by dried rose, spice, mineral, and earth notes. - Jean

Climb to the top of Beaux Freres to see tiny Whistling Ridge Vineyard. Situated on the summit of the hill containing Beaux Freres and Patricia Green's estate vineyards, producing Pinot with its own distinct character.

2007 Vintage Tasting Notes

Patricia Green Cellars Pinot noir Whistling Ridge 07 -

From the winery:

This is the small, 18-year old vineyard located directly behind both us and Beaux Freres. It is owned by Dick and Patricia Alvord. We started buying a small portion of the Pinot Noir in 2003 and it turned out to be one of the most interesting and popular wines we produced. What provides a constant source of amazement to us and people who taste this wine next to our Estate wines is, despite the proximity of this vineyard to ours, how distinctly different the wines from this site are in relation to anything that comes off of our vineyard.

When we began with this wine in 2003 for one reason or another it has always been the most idiosyncratic wine in the cellar each vintage. If you are a lover of smooth, soft-textured wines with low-acidities and plump mid-palates this is not the wine for you.

This is a high energy wine that is the highest acidity and highest tannin-level wine in the cellar. Does that translate to scratchy, tart and thin? Absolutely not. There is a river of red and black raspberry fruit that glides over the top of the firm structure of this wine pulling it together in the mid-palate before giving way to the minerally backend that graces all of our Ribbon Ridge wines. Intense, wild and unique this is special and fun wine that will provide lovers of more structured and dark-hearted Pinots years and years of pleasure. 210 cases bottled.

2005 Vintage Tasting Notes

This vineyard sits atop the hill on which our vineyard and Beaux Freres' vineyard lies. Adjacent to both of us, the site was planted to Pinot Noir and other varietals by Dick and Patricia Alvord in 1990. We have been interested in the fruit from this site since we purchased our Estate in 2000. We have agreed to a one acre deal where they do most of the work but we have our crew go in every so often to do a little extra work.

This relationship has worked out very nicely in 2003 and 2004 and we look forward to extending it into the future. Not only are we getting some fruit that we think is of top quality but we are getting a nice little additional education in the amazing power of site differences in relation to Pinot Noir especially in sedimentary soils.

It would be easy to look at the wines from Beaux Freres and from us and conclude that even adjacent vineyards show big differences. However there are winemaking differences, vineyard management differences, different barrels, etc. With the fruit we get and partially take care from this adjacent site we get to see why Pinot Noir is such a fascinating wine.

This wine has distinct and profound aromatics and flavors of freshly picked and crushed raspberries. It really is just amazing as those are just not characteristics of our vineyard site. This bottling has great depth, mouthfeel and complexity to incorporate the distinct fruit notes. This wine developed more than any of other wines in barrel and we expect it to do so in bottle as well. Just 170 cases of this fascinating wine so make sure you incorporate it into your cellar."