Formerly known as Dry Stack, Grey Stack Cellars took on a new name after the folks at Dry Sack Sherry felt there was a little too much similarity between the two company names.

Fair enough, the wine inside is the same no matter what you call it.

In any case, this pinot noir from Sonoma’s Bennett Valley is a tricky wine. The nose is heavy with Burgundy character, and has a bit of green pepper and menthol in it. The nose does have a certain ethanol heat to it that’s hard to ignore.

The body is a classic pinot, a little on the hot side, but lush with fruit — black cherry and some lighter strawberry notes, laced with a touch of wood and gravel. Not bad, but the finish is on the watery side, a weird contrast to the wine’s hot attack.

Only 50 cases made. It likely will be hard to find.

B+ / $32

2007 Grey Stack Pinot Noir "The Fisherman" Connell Family Vineyard Bennett Valley

$32

8.5

Rating

8.5/10