So here it is after some anticipation, The 12 Days of Pinot Noir has arrived to 
welcome in October. Over the next 12 Days quite a few Pinots will be covered and recommended here. But where to start? Back in July I was out at the Wine Blogger’s Conference and had the opportunity to taste a Chardonnay from an urban San Francisco Winery. That Chardonnay from Foggy Bridge made an impression and when I was rounding up wines to taste for possible inclusion in the 12 Days of Pinot Noir, I checked to see if they made a Pinot, and sure enough they do. So theirs will be the inaugural selection for this 12 Day Pinot Fest.
The 2006 Foggy Bridge Pinot Noir is made from fruit sourced at the well known Bien Nacido vineyard in Santa Maria Valley. This wine is 100% Santa Maria Valley fruit and all Pinot Noir. Oak aging was accomplished over 12 months in French (90%), and American (10%) oak. 426 cases of this selection were produced and the suggested retail price is $38.
Wild strawberries and bing cherry fill the nose of this wine along with touches of crème fraiche and vanilla bean. The palate which gently coats your taste buds is loaded with medium dark fruit; cherries dominate. These are joined by subtler mushroom and earth characteristics. Light chicory notes lead a lingering finish that also has cinnamon, chocolate and solid flourishes of sour cherry. Soft, supple tannins and good acidity round out this wine.
This Pinot Noir provides a ton of varietal character which is particularly important to note when there are a lot of examples out there that don’t. This wine is a classic case of a Pinot that will pair well with a wide array of food. Don’t hesitate to drink it on it’s own though as it’s delicious solo too.
If you want to read more about Foggy Bridge head over to my other site Drink Dry Creek where we recently wrote about their 2007 Zinfandel.