My favorite is the Varner 2008 Pinot Noir Three Blocks Spring Ridge Vineyard. A limited production offering made from newer Dijon clones, it exhibits copious amounts of blue and red fruits intermixed with floral, earthy notes. It is a sneaky style of Pinot Noir that builds on elegance and refinement the more one inspects it. An outstanding, mid-weight, Burgundian-styled Pinot, it should be enjoyed over the next 5-7 years. Readers should not forget about the Varner Chardonnays I reviewed in issue #190, the 2008 Amphitheater Block, 2008 Home Block and 2008 Bee Block, all among the finest Chardonnays made in California in this vintage. Tel. (650) 321-4894; Fax (650) 321-4893