Black Kite Cellars

The upper block (“Redwoods’ Edge”) of the Black Kite Vineyard in Anderson Valley is all Dijon clones (114 and 115), which helps the grapes get ripe despite being tucked up against a dense, shadow-casting grove of redwood and evergreen trees on two sides. The vines run downhill due north, so they’re getting as much western sun as the site allows, and vineyard manager Paul Ardzrooni is letting them come along slowly since they were planted in 1999. Normally vines this young express more of their clonal personality than their site, but there’s already plenty of Anderson Valley and Black Kite Vineyard in this wine.

By that I mean dry earth and chanterelle mushrooms laced into intense raspberry, strawberry and black cherry flavors. The wine has beautiful body and good weight, which you would expect from Dijon clones; these qualities are complemented by bright acid and balancing grape tannins – Anderson Valley hallmarks – and there's impressive length. When I close my eyes, I can almost smell the evergreens. Or perhaps that’s just the cool dark sweetness of the wine activating my memories of the site itself.

Reviewed August 3, 2007 by Thom Elkjer.