2006
Elke Vineyards Blue Diamond Pinot
Noir $38
Available until quantities sold out.
100% Donnelly Creek Vineyard, Anderson Valley
The 2006 vintage reflects our Burgundian winemaking philosophy combined with
bright fruit characters and an earthy minerality typical of Anderson Valley Pinot
Noir. The growing season was difficult: first wet, then hot, and then mild just
before harvest. It gave us farmers fits but the resulting wine has a wonderful
perfume and a lovely density. The 2006 Blue Diamond shows depth and complexity
with excellent balance, medium body, and a lengthy, velvety finish. This lovely
Pinot is showing fantastic in the bottle right now, but will age well for years
to come.
Alcohol: 14.1% Oak Aging: 11 months in 30% new. Production: 650 cases / 750 mL.
Released November 2007 to the trade. Price $38.00.
2007
Elke Vineyards Blue Diamond Pinot
Noir $34
100% Donnelly Creek Vineyard, Anderson Valley
The 2007 vintage was a superior year for the Donnelly Creek vineyards and this
wine reflects the atypical bright fruit characters as well as the earthy minerality
that is becoming so enamored of our Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. The 2007 Blue
Diamond shows as much depth and complexity as the 2006, but with a little more
fruit. It has the same excellent balance, the medium body, and the long velvety
finish. Early tastings by my family indicate it's one of the best vintages
in the Blue Diamond Label's 10 years of releases.
Alcohol: 14.2% Oak Aging: 12 months in 25% new. Production: 725 cases / 750
mL. 50 cases/375 mL for the restaurant trade. Released March 2009 to the trade.
Price $34.00.
2007
Mary Elke Pinot
Noir $26
100% Donnelly Creek Vineyard, Anderson Valley
The 2007 Mary Elke Pinot Noir is 100% Donnelly Creek
vineyard fruit from two clones that reflect the cool climate
and soils of the Anderson Valley. In years previous we blended
the Donnelly fruit with others, but this year we snatched enough
from the vineyard for the ME label. Rich fruit flavors combine
with a slight spice element and a slight mid-palate tannin
to produce a “bigger” style Pinot Noir that many
modern drinkers of Pinot Noir prefer. Last year's 06 Mary Elke
Pinot Noir was was sold out in a few months. This year we have
about 680 cases. Alcohol: 14.6%. Aged for 10 months in new
and used oak barrels, bottled in July, 2008. Release Date:
September 2008. Price: $26.00
2008
Mary Elke Rose of Pinot Noir $16
Made from 100% Pinot Noir from Elke's Donnelly Creek Vineyard
in Anderson Valley, this Rose was hand-crafted in Cuvaison's Custom
Crush operations. The Pinot Noir grapes are typically harvested for
sparkling wines, but there were eight tons not spoken for, so we decided
to use it for a Rose. What grapes they were! The small lot production
really shows here, with its delicate Pinot Noir flavors, bright fruit,
and supremely long finish for a Rose. Alcohol: 13.5%, Bottled in January
of 2009 with a Production of 250 cases/750ml. Price $16.00
2007
Mary Elke Chardonnay $18 SORRY.
WE JUST SOLD OUT IN FEBRUARY 2009
The Mary Elke brand bottles special deals and arrangement I make with the Anderson
Valley vineyards, wineries, and winemakers. This 2007 Chardonnay is from Anderson
Valley vineyards that usually get made into champagne but was allowed to hang
on the vine for still wine production. It is clean, crisp and refreshing like
the sparkler for which it was intended, but has bright fruit characters, notably
apple. Not a “cocktail” Chardonnay, this wine is best enjoyed with
fish, white meats, and complex dishes — which accounts why it is bought
so much by my restaurant accounts. Alcohol: 13.9% Release Date: July 2008 Production:
275 cases/750 mL. Price: $19.00
