The 2008 Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard (aged in 50% new French oak) exhibits gorgeous scents of raspberries, flowers, forest floor and a hint of graphite. This opulent, rich, medium to full-bodied Pinot is super-pure, beautifully textured and luscious. Enjoy it over the next 4-5 years. Sean Capiaux, who is also the winemaker for O’Shaughnessy’s Napa Valley wines, has his own project and as the following tasting notes indicate, he demonstrates a Midas touch with Pinot Noir. His 2007 and 2008 Pinots I reviewed in issue 187 were also impressive.Tel. (707) 307-4383; Fax (707) 307-4305

The 2007 Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard offers lots of black raspberry and boysenberry fruit intertwined with a floral undertone. Fleshy, opulent, and even viscous by Pinot Noir standards, this full-bodied, concentrated, velvety 2007 is impossible to resist. It should last for 7-8 years. Sean Capiaux fashions O’Shaughnessy’s outstanding Cabernets from Howell Mountain as well as a half dozen impressive Pinot Noirs at his own estate, Capiaux Cellars.Tel. (707) 815-3191; Fax (707) 965-0116.