The 2008 Pinot Noir Stone Corral Vineyard possesses captivating inner perfume and gorgeous depth. Here the fruit tends towards the darker end of the spectrum. Super-ripe black cherries, hard candy, cola, cloves and spices are some of the notes that emerge from this exuberant, marvelous Pinot. There is a level of polish and sheer elegance that is impossible to miss. Despite its richness, this shows fabulous balance. The wine needs several hours of air to show at its finest. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2021. Brian Talley doesn’t miss a beat. This is an impressive set of wines from top to bottom. In general, I have a slight preference for the 2008 Chardonnays over the 2009s, as I find the earlier vintage shows more delineation and finesse. Readers who prefer a bold, overt style of Chardonnay may find more immediate pleasure in the 2009s. The Chardonnays were fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged on their lees in 30% new oak. The 2008 Pinots are terrific, but they need quite a bit of air to show their best. The Pinots were fermented in open top fermenters, using native yeasts, and aged in barrel for 18-19 months. Talley used 30-35% new oak for the Pinots. Unfortunately I was not able to taste the 2009 Pinots, which had just been bottled.Tel. (805) 489-0446; www.talleyvineyards.com

Talley has struggled with the acidity on this wine for years. Sometimes it’s too soft. This ’08, while very good, with a degree of complexity especially in the tannins, is too aggressive. The acidity feels unnatural, giving the wine the taste of raspberry sour candy.——S.H.(7/1/2011)—— 87