Our Selection for Wine of the Week October 8, 2012
Dunstan Wines 2009 Durell Vineyard Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, CA
Dunstan Wines is a collaboration between Chris Towt and Ellie Phillips Price. Price's name may ring a bell with lovers of Sonoma Coast wines as the owner of the highly respected Durell Vineyard. Durell produces grapes for some of Sonoma County's biggest names including Chateau St. Jean, Kistler and now for Dunstan. One of the region's newest wineries, Dunstan has launched with a Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Rosé of Pinot Noir. The 2009 bottling represents the winery's second vintage of Pinot Noir. A bright and bold wine, on the nose it offers red cherry fruit with rose petals and cola notes. Up front, its slightly tart cherry note dominates with darker fruit toward the mid palate and a hint of tomato jam toward the finish. Smooth, with silky tannins, it is an extremely approachable Pinot despite its big body and appreciable acidity. Try it with seared tuna rubbed with Middle Eastern spices, pork loin with a cherry sauce or roast turkey. For vegetarians, try it with wild mushroom ravioli in an heirloom tomato sauce.