Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, the 2016 Pinot Noir Kiser en Bas is a little closed to begin, giving glimpses of red currants, pomegranate and black raspberry scents with touches of forest floor and fungi. Medium-bodied, firm, fresh and elegant in the mouth, it has a plush texture and wonderful freshness framing the intense red berry flavors, finishing long and earthy. 270 cases produced.

The 2010 Pinot Noir Kiser En Bas is one of the darker wines in the range. Sweet black cherries, licorice, spices and crushed rocks all come to life in a vibrant, beautifully delineated Pinot that impresses for its clarity, nuance and pure energy. Although a bit fragile, the 2010 has an inner perfume and sweetness that is hugely appealing. At the same time the 2010 remains bright and light on its feet, in a style that is more lifted than is typical for Copain Pinots from this lower part of Kiser. In 2010, the fruit was 100% destemmed. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2018. I have to say, it is a bit strange to visit Wells Guthrie’s beautiful Copain winery in Healdsburg, as none of the wines are made from fruit grown on the estate! Guthrie prefers to source fruit from cooler parts of Sonoma, most notably Anderson Valley and Yorkville Highlands. Today the Copain wines are mid-weight, gracious and delicate in style, a far cry from a few years back, when they were much more overt. In cold years like 2010 and 2011, some of the wines are a touch on the fragile side. Readers on a budget should be sure to check out the Tous Ensemble range, as those wines deliver tremendous quality for the money. All of 2011s I tasted from tank were scheduled to be bottled a few days after my visit. Tel. (707) 541-7474

The 2009 Pinot Noir Kiser En Bas caresses the palate with layers of round, highly expressive fruit. The higher percentage of clay in this part of the vineyard gives the wine an additional layer of breadth and richness that is striking. Clean veins of underlying minerality add intensity and drive. Black cherries, plums, spices and minerals wrap around the long, insistent finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2019. This set of wines from Copain and proprietor Wells Guthrie was among the most exciting I tasted from Sonoma this year. Guthrie has decided to release his 2010 Pinots before his 2009s, as he thinks the 2010s will drink better earlier, owing to their mid-weight structures. Unfortunately, I was not able to taste the 2010 Pinots, as they had just been bottled at press time. The Pinots are made with fully de-stemmed fruit and are aged in French oak barrels, approximately 25% new. Guthrie uses 50-100% whole clusters for his Syrahs. These are some of the most refined, subtle wines being made in Sonoma today. Stylistically, the wines are a bit more restrained than they have been in the past, as the fruit is now being picked around 23 Brix as opposed to 24 or 24.5, as was the norm a few years back. Guthrie describes 2009 as a cool vintage with a late set but otherwise even ripening for both Pinot and Syrah, with no late rains during the final phase of ripening. Vintage 2010 was much more challenging. Rain and very cold weather were pretty much a constant the entire year. Frost, rain during flowering and a cold summer lowered yields dramatically. Achieving full ripeness was much more of a challenge in 2010 and some of the wines were lightly chaptalized. Tel. (707) 541-7474

The 2004 Pinot Noir Kiser En Bas, which means “at the bottom of the hill,” reveals fine elegance, notes of sweet cherries and herbs, and a distinctive earthy character. While very good, I did not find it nearly as inspirational as some of Guthrie’s other efforts. It’s hard not to enjoy a visit with Wells Guthrie given his enthusiasm and passion for accessing top-notch vineyards and producing high quality wines. His impressive resume includes positions with Michel Chapoutier and Gerard Chave as well as a short stint as a journalist for The Wine Spectator. Guthrie is one of the Rhone Ranger mavericks who utilizes considerable stems in his winemaking as well as a variety of barrels, ranging from small casks to the large, 600-liter demi-muids. Such Old World winemaking techniques as minimal intervention, natural yeast fermentations, and no fining or filtration has resulted in thrilling wines of undeniable character and personality. (Release date 6/06) Tel. (707) 541-7474; Fax (707) 541-7575