2001 W.H. Smith Wines Pinot Noir ‘Hellenthal Vineyard’
This Sonoma Coast wine exhibits a lovely scent of dried cherries reminiscent of Amarone, but its taste has the unmistakable delicacy and layered nuances of Pinot Noir. With its marvelous silky, ripe fruit and earthy finish, this, like most Pinot Noirs, shows best at the table. As if there were any doubt, the Sonoma Coast proves once again how well-suited it is to producing top-notch Pinots.
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Quick swirl
Region: Sonoma Coast
Price: About $35
Style: Silky and ripe
Food it goes with: Roast birds and braised meats; anything with a sauce.
Where you find it: Fireside Cellars, 1421 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, (310) 393-2888; Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa, (949) 650-8463; L.A. Wine Co. in Marina del Rey, (310) 306-9463; the Wine Club in Santa Ana, (714) 835-6485; Wine Exchange in Orange, (714) 974-1454; and Woodland Hills Wine Co. in Woodland Hills, (818) 222-1111.
-- S. Irene Virbila