Dramatic is the stunning 2004 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard Block Eight. One of the finest Bien Nacido examples I have ever tasted. Offering up notes of licorice, sweet black cherries, herbs, currants, and spice, this full-bodied, powerful yet delicate, intense yet finesse-filled beauty is stunningly rich, layered, and complex. It should drink well for 5-7 years. As the back label says, this wine was bottled “delicately ... without fining or filtration.” Bravo to proprietors and winemakers Bill Wathen and Dick Dore. Tel. (805) 937-4251

Bright and acidic as Pinots from this vineyard always are, with crushed hard-spice aromas and ripe cola and cherry compote flavors. The wine is fairly full-bodied and dry, with a polished silk and velvet mouthfeel. Fine now, but has the stuffing to improve for a few years. ——S.H.(11/15/2006)—— 90