Medium to dark ruby, with notes of incense, herbs, earth and red fruits (pomegranate and cherry) the 2008 Pinot Noir Jenkin's Ranch is straightforward, somewhat one-dimensional and medium-bodied, with berry fruit, herbs, and spice. It is good, but again, the shortcomings of this vintage are apparent. Drink it over the next 2-3 years.
One of the most reliable negociant firms in all of California is that of Patz and Hall, as the following tasting notes demonstrate. They are spot-on across the board with their generic as well as single-vineyard wines. There is no doubt they have been accessing some of the best single-vineyard sites in California for nearly as long as I have been writing about wine. Patz and Hall now produce eight separate Pinot Noirs, which would make them feel at home working in the Cote d-Or, where most vignerons have at least a half dozen different offerings.
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