2010 Pinot Noir Finn

Winemaker Andy Smith describes 2009 as a ‘sweet, forward vintage,' while 2011 is more ‘dynamic and commercial.' Smith reserves his highest praise for 2010, which he calls his favorite among the three current vintages. In 2011, Smith bulked out 20% of his Pinot Noirs, including the entire production of the Eoin. All the 2011 Pinots came in before the rains. Smith used whole clusters only for the Aidan, as botrytis was an issue in all the other Pinot vineyards. The Charles Heintz Chardonnay came in after the rains. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to taste the 2011 Syrahs, as the final blends had not yet been put together at the time of this tasting. In broad terms, the DuMol Chardonnays are all fermented and aged in barrel, with no lees stirring. Some of the wines are aged in slightly larger 300 liter barrels, and at times the malolactic fermentation are partly blocked, which results in wines that are both texturally rich but also full of energy, a combination that is rare and hard to achieve. The single-vineyard Pinots spend 14-15 months in barrel on their fine lees, while the Syrahs get a few more months in oak. At their best, the Pinots and Syrahs are compelling.

According to Andy Smith, "2010 was a vintage that succeeded because of the wines' balance, acidity and elegance.On top of that they have power."The cool, grey summer allowed for "gentle ripening" and flavor buildup with no danger of sunburn or runaway sugars, he said, adding that in many cases the wines "have a rare combination of brooding and bright."The even-keeled Smith, who is disinclined to hyperbole, said that thinks that his 2010s "are the best set of wines we've ever made, no question" and that they will reward patience, "even if they're quite complex right now."