The Cliff Notes: It’s a dark and brooding red. A huge balloon of red/black fruit, kind baby diaper and blueberry deliver the triumvirate of luscious, available and opulent to your seemingly just kissed lips. Question it? Check that structure on your lips.

The Story: Once again Shea Vineyard is the booming bass note out of the cellar. That’s after we made the earliest picking decision ever on that block. Why? Because in a year like 2006 a warm and low-elevation vineyard like Shea could really deliver over-ripe and boozy wines. Frankly, that’s not what we’re after. So, we risked it. We moved it in the direction of absolute elegance and, like a salmon returning to its stream, it still delivered big, albeit on one svelte and shapely body.

Cases Produced: 146

The Building of: Small-lot wild yeast fermentations, 100% barrel aged for 18 months in French oak barrels (one new, one once-filled, two twice-filled and two neutral). Bottled unfined and unfiltered in March of 2008.

Ageability: Decant it to get it air within its first three years. Well cellared, anticipate additional complexity during its first 10 years with a potential 12- to 20-year drinking horizon.

Alcohol: 13.75%

pH: 3.56

Vineyards: At Shea Vineyards ours is a three-acre, mid-slope east block of nine-year-old Dijon clone 777 Pinot noir. The site is warm and early, delivering fruit of optimal ripeness and opulence in bottle. These are the six best barrels.