The Cliff Notes: This wine is translucent cherry brick in color with a surprisingly evolved nose that opens to passion fruit, iron, orange, beautiful/sexy musk and brown spice. In mouth it transitions to rich ripe cherry-plum, blueberry and mocha with grilled game overtones. Overall it presents as round, medium weight and medium-light grip with a seamless structure that persists.

The Story: Once again the most seamless of all the JKC Limited offerings, ‘09 Anderson Family brings pretty, super-smooth and savory to the table, in a form fitting dress. Acid and grip are there and persistent, but seamlessly integrated and likely to remain so as it whiles away the years. A texture of velvet is one of the hallmarks of classic Pinot noir, a hat trick to pull off in a warm year.

Cases Produced: 97

The Building of: Small-lot wild yeast fermentations, 100% barrel aged for 19 months in French oak barrels (one new, three neutral). Bottled unfined and unfiltered in April of 2011.

Ageability: It’s pretty integrated now, but likely you’ll do better by decanting to get it air within its first three years. Well cellared you should anticipate additional complexity during its first 10 years with a potential 12-year drinking horizon.

Alcohol: 13.75%

pH: 3.79

Vineyards: The steep and rocky South Block of Anderson Family Vineyards is dry-farmed 19-year-old Dijon 115 clone Pinot noir. As such, it is some of the oldest Dijon clone Pinot noir in Oregon, and naturally sets some of the smallest berries and clusters in the state.