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What We Say 2005 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
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Mission Codename: The Return of The King
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Infiltrate Pezzi King, a Wine Spies Operative Favorite, and secure a holiday stash of their fabled Pinot Noir
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Pezzi King Vineyards
Wine Subject: 2005 Pinot Noir
Winemaker: Gabriella Gazzano
Backgrounder: Our Operatives went crazy for the last wine we featured from Pezzi King, vaulting the winery into our Top Five hottest wineries off all time. Today, we send Agent Red back to procure their exceptional Pinot Noir. Read his tasting notes and mission report below, and find why he selected today’s wine.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Deep ruby red, with a springy surface, glistening red edges and thin, tightly-packed legs that take a long time to emerge
Smell – Deep cherry with cola, earth, strawberry, light mushroom, soft herb and
Feel – Feather-light, velvet-smooth and slightly round, this wine starts cool and soft and then warms slowly as medium tannins take hold at the top of the tongue and inside the cheeks
Taste – Delicious! This wine delivers bright layer upon layer of fruit and soft mineral-spice with cherry, cola, strawberry, strawberry, cranberry and cassis
Finish – This wine has a finely polished finish that starts big and flavorful with a sweet-tartness and fresh fruit – but then turns soft, rich, and slightly dry
Conclusion – This wine is a QPR Winner! Another impressive wine from Pezzi King, and a classic example of Pinot Noir from California’s Sonoma Coast, this wine has great structure. Great balance and a bright acidity make this a very friendly food wine. Layers of aromas and layers of flavors make this wine lots of fun to simply sip and discuss. I would pair this wine with almost anything, but love drinking it on its own. Find out why Pezzi King Winery is one of our best-loved wineries among our Operatives – and be sure to stock up for all of your holiday entertaining.
Mission Brief:
I first infiltrated Pezzi King Almost a year ago. The wine that I procured for you then became one of our best-selling wines of all time. While The Wine Spies continue to grow at a phenomenal pace, setting new records all the time, Pezzi King has yet to be dethroned. That’s how much our Operatives love Pezzi King Wines.
So, why haven’t we shown a Pezzi King here in the last several months? The answer is simple: Demand has outpaced supply!
Despite the mutual adoration that we share with the winery, there simply was not enough wine to meet the demands of our thirsty, Pezzi-lovin’ Operatives. Until recently!
How did I do it? Maybe I intercepted an ocean going cargo container. Perhaps I bribed a distributor, infiltrated the Pezzi King wine cave, or raided several small bottle shops. Whichever was the case, the end result is to your benefit, dear Operative!
Supply is limited, and with the Holiday’s upon us most Operatives are securing full cases for their entertaining, so please order before we run out!
A hearty thank you to our friends at Pezzi King Winery. We are crazy about your wines!
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the Pezzi King vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Pezzi King
About This Wine:
Dark ruby color, lush, full bodied, jammy black cherry, blackberry, with elegant, toasty oak. Seamlessly integrated tannins, creamy texture, rich and satisfying.
This Pinot Noir exhibits dark fruit aromatics with notes of wild berry and toasty oak. As it opens up on the palate it reveals layers of dark cherry, blackberry and creamy oak. Well balanced and structured, food friendly.
Food Pairing: Roast Salmon with Couscous Crust
History of Pezzi King Vineyards:
James P. Rowe, Sr., is passionate about his Italian heritage. His love of agriculture is rooted in the time spent as a child at his grandfather’s Central Valley ranches, while his family ties are expressed in the name he and his late wife Jane gave their vineyard: Pezzi King combines the names of Jim’s and Jane’s mothers, respectively.
The Rowes established Pezzi King Vineyards in 1993, when Jim discovered a beautiful vineyard nestled in the hills of Dry Creek Valley during a weekend visit from San Francisco. Aware of the vineyard’s superior terroir and captivated by the site’s natural beauty, he purchased the 137-acre estate and undertook its beautiful transformation into one of the leading producers of Zinfandel in the acclaimed Dry Creek Valley appellation.
The first step was restoring the vineyard to its natural, unspoiled potential: Jim Rowe, Sr. immediately eliminated all use of chemicals and implemented all-natural farming techniques. His commitment to quality extended to the winery, as well, which they completely renovated with state-of-the-art equipment.
Today, Jim Rowe, Sr. and his wife, Cynthia, run the winery as a collaborative enterprise. Cynthia Rowe is involved with business planning and strategy for Pezzi King Vineyards.
Jim Rowe, Sr. states his mission for Pezzi King Vineyards directly: “I wanted wines that would be considered among the best in the world. To accomplish this, I had to start with an excellent piece of land and add the right mix of talent and hard work. We’re doing that at Pezzi King and we’ll continue to strive for and achieve excellence in everything we do.”
In 2006, Pezzi King Vineyards won 10 Gold and 5 Silver medals in wine competitions and is among one of the highest rated Zinfandel in the world.
About the Winemaker:
Gabriella Gazzano is no stranger to critically acclaimed Dry Creek Valley Zinfandels. She helped craft them for five years at Fritz Winery in Cloverdale, and the opportunity to make wine for one of the region’s most noted Zinfandel producers is one major reason she agreed to become Head Winemaker for Pezzi King Vineyards. “I started my winemaking career experiencing old-vine Zinfandel at Fritz, and I’m really excited to be back in Dry Creek and work with the wonderful fruit that Pezzi King grows and sources,” said Gazzano.
Technical Analysis:
Vintage: 2005
Wine Type: Red Wine
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Barrels: 40% new French Oak, Billon, Damy, Cadus, Vicard. Aged 18 months.
Appellation: Sonoma Coast
Harvest Date: September 2005
Acid: 0.66 gm/100ml
pH: 3.59
Alcohol: 14.4%
Production: 800 Cases
