This is a fancy restaurant-style Pinot Noir. That means it’s dry, silky and rich, and has that elusive, undefinable quality of elegance that can accompany the finest Pinot-friendly foods, such as steak, lamb, grilled tuna or a wild mushroom risotto. It’s tantalizingly crisp, with complex cherry, cola and spice flavors. Drink now and through 2016. — (10/1/2012) —94

Shows the silky texture, firm tannins and brilliantly developed cherry-berry and spice fruit of this fine vineyard, and is thoroughly dry. But there’s a green, minty sharpness throughout that limits depth and ageability. Drink now.——S.H.(11/1/2010)—— 87

Very deep and dense in the mouth, showing tough tannins and an immature fruit character that sorely needs aging. This is one for the cellar. Needs a few more years to come around and allow the cherries, blackberries and currants to emerge and meld with the oak. Best 2011–2015. ——S.H.(10/1/2009)—— 92

A beautiful Pinot Noir, showing off the variety’s rich velvety, texture and the way it seduces the palate. Balancing in the tension between acids, tannins and oak, it shows deliciously ripe flavors of red and black currants, cherries and dusty spices.——S.H.(12/31/2008)—— 93

Drinking tough in acids and fresh young tannins now, this is one you want to cellar. But the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard has one of California’s greatest track records, and these Pinots soften and sweeten for years. With ripe cherry, blackberry and spice flavors, Sanford’s ’05 will be at its best 2009–2012. If you open it now, decant.——S.H.(3/1/2008)—— 91