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Mission Codename: Highest Praise

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: In the wake of the results form the prestigious 2010 Chronicle Wine Competition, send Agent Red to retrieve the highest-scoring Pinot Noir, from Bloomfield Vineyards

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Bloomfield Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2008 Pinot Noir

Winemaker: Becky Bloomfield

Backgrounder: Pinot Noir remains an undisputed champion of red wine, holding a top three spot for popularity among American wine drinkers. Today’s Pinot Noir, according to the judges at the latest Chronicle Wine Competition, is the Best of Class Pinot Noir. This is the highest award possible in this competition, and one taste of this wine validates the judging; The wine is fantastic!

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – When viewed from the side, the wine looks like a perfect block of ruby gemstone! When viewed from the top, the wine shows lighter hues, reminding me of a darker Rosé. At the edge of the glass, the wine shows almost completely clear. After a good swirl, thick legs start high on the glass, and then slowly make their way downward.

Smell – A burst of sweet cherry juice cocktail leaps from the glass. This is followed by a sweet earthy aromatic of of dried fall leaves, sweetwoods, and sweet tomato stem. Under these are hints of cranberry, minerals and subtle gray gunpowder.

Feel – Soft and light on the attack. Then, immediately, the wine becomes bright and mouth-filling, with an ultra-bright acidity that makes you smile, as it causes the flavors to rush onto the palate.

Taste – Bright and so delicious, this wine present flavors at all corners of the palate. Even the back of the mouth and the cheeks seem to pick up bright flavors Bing cherry, raspberry, cranberry and sweet tomato vine. Soft sweetwoods, sweet dried leaves and a hint of spice follow.

Finish – Long, bright and mouthwatering, this wine leads with juicy fruit flavors. Then, a bright acidity make the mouth water as flavors spill to all corners of the mouth. The, the takes a gentle turn, as flavors tail off slowly.

Conclusion – This juicy, fruit-forward Pinot Noir is a delicious treat that we here at Wine Spies HQ will be adding to our personal cellars. Becky Bloomfield has crafted a stellar Pinot Noir that has delighted our tasting panel, and we are pleased to offer it to you, today, with our heartiest recommendation. The aromatics are sweet and inviting, and the feel is supple and approachable, but it is the flavor profile that really got our attention; This wine sends a cascade of flavor to places on the palate that we didn’t know could even taste a wine. The lips and the insides of the cheeks could taste the wine! While the wine is a 2008, it is drinking beautifully now. We look forward to seeing how it progresses. Don’t miss out, dear Operative, this award-winning wine is in high demand.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Rebecca Bloomfield

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Producing and making my own wine, Bloomfield Vineyards.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Staying true to the characteristics of the grape.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “Experiencing wine should never be intimidating.”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 2004

WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Becky. We are thrilled to be showing your 2008 Pinot Noir today. Our heartiest congratulations on winning the Chronicle award! Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

BECKY BLOOMFIELD: Thank you, and thanks for the opportunity to show my wine to your Operatives!

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

BECKY: Well it seemed that I had an interest in wine at a fairly young age, and had great exposure to experience quality wine.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

BECKY: I’m not sure I could narrow it down that easy. I think that when you first are exposed to wines, you form an opinion pretty quickly on what you like and eventually what you seek in wine. When you grow the grapes it’s easy to direct your style of winemaking to bring out the fruit in your wine. Grapes are amazing, and having the pleasure to farm and produce wine, well is makes your philosophy on winemaking easy.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

BECKY: I make wines for myself and for my customers. It’s a good thing that my tastes are theirs as well!

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

BECKY: Ahh, my 2008 Pinot Noir. The grapes used I do not grow, but have sourced these grapes for two vintages from a rare Dijon clone vineyard in Livermore, CA.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

BECKY: Pinot Noir is such a great wine for food, you really can’t go wrong with any dish you choose. But I would say that it is really fun to pair it with a dish that has a smoky start and don’t be afraid of some spice and even cream.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Livermore Valley so special?

BECKY: The reality of this particular wine, is that the source of grapes are not from a typical Pinot Noir region. And that is what is so fantastic about this recent award. You don’t have to overdo any wine. I think that this is what is so appealing about my style of winemaking.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

BECKY: We are getting ready to bottle our seventh vintage. I have 2009 Cabernet in the barrel that I can’t wait to share, along with 2010 Chardonnay, Viognier and the Devil’s Daughter.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

BECKY: I think that people are much more knowledgeable about wine than they think. I let them tell me what they are “picking up” in my wines, and then expand on that with my input. I love to express my philosophy on wine and how I believe that staying true to the fruit is best.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

BECKY: Wine is a very social scene, and you should never have a bad experience with it!

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Bloomfield Vineyards tasting room can be seen in this satellite photo.