The Cliff Notes: Rich garnet in color, this Pinot noir smells of a cherry-reduction sauce, resin and vanilla. The second hit is effusive fresh cherry-raspberry on a background of meaty sweet oak. The palate is perfectly ripe Bing cherry, mouthwatering melon and slight graham. Structurally it’s full and mouth-coating, with medium weight and medium plus grip. A great food wine.

The Story: We made two and one-half barrels of this wine? I know, but that’s how the blend of barrels worked best and so that’s what is. The key to Gemini Vineyard is that the fruit always stays in the red spectrum of flavor, never moving towards black as in nearly every other vineyard we know. The key is to let it wallow in its redness and give it time to develop its complexity — its red is red is red nature, if you will.

Cases Produced: 63

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

Ageability: Absolutely decant 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- to 15-year drinking horizon.

Alcohol: 13.75%

pH: 3.69

Vineyards: The Laurelwood soil of Gemini Vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains AVA is rich, wind-blown loess that contributes vigor to the plants and good acid to the wines made from these grapes, which are grafted 18-year-old Scott Henry? trained Pommard clone Pinot noir.