2004 Pleasant Valley "Dylan David" Pinot Noir

Pleasant Valley Vineyards is a small producer located in Aptos, close to Windy Oaks and Alfaro Family. They make Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from their 2 acre estate vineyard.

I've tried the Pinot Noir a few times and although it's a nice wine I found it difficult to justify the price tag - at $85 it's one of the most expensive wines made in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It doesn't have the obtrusive tannins and sharp acidity that scream "Cellar Me!", it just seems like a pleasant, well made wine.

Then last night I tasted the 2004 Dylan David Pinot Noir. This particular bottle had been opened a few days earlier for a tasting, but was not used, so it had been recorked and kept in the fridge. The difference was remarkable. The nose suggested a tart raspberry syrup along with the oak. On the palate there was an assortment of flavours; raspberry and cherry combined with sweet spices - cinnamon and nutmeg. The finish was lovely, though not particularly long. We took a break part way through dinner to go see the fireworks. When we returned, almost two hours later, the wine hadn't faded at all.

So it seems there's a lot more to this wine than I originally thought. It doesn't show all that well in the "pop-and-pour" context of a wine tasting, but give it time and it shines. While $85 is beyond my personal spending limit, at least now I can see how it's justified.

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