Mark West Sonoma County Pinot Noir 2000

Wow! An intense bouquet, full of ripe cherry, strawberry, and rose petal, emerges from this deeply robed Pinot Noir. The 2000 Mark West Sonoma County Pinot Noir follows through on the palate, too, with ripe fruit, spice, and just a hint of hickory smoke imparted from at least twelve months of oak barrel aging. There is definitely no wimp in this wine. Rich, smooth, and long on the palate, this Mark West Pinot exhibits long soft tannins and supreme balance, which should allow it to develop even further in the bottle for another year or more. We suggest serving the 2000 Mark West Pinot Noir at about 65? F, immediately upon opening or after an hour or more in a clean decanter. Enjoy it now and often.

Whether it is a Burgundian classic such as Boeuf Bourguignon, a traditional Piedmontese Risotto, or a succulent Veal Chop, the 2000 Mark West Sonoma County Pinot Noir calls for sophisticated fare. Pork tenderloin, lamb, and even a Prime Rib will provide exemplary complements as well. On a lighter note, salmon filets in a sprightly lime, soy and ginger sauce offer an outstanding complement to this wine. In addition, any cream or truffle based sauce bring out all the latent goodness in this lovely Pinot Noir. In fact, the 2000 Mark West Sonoma Pinot Noir is a very versatile wine, and it will complement most foods, simple or supreme, but it seems to us a shame to pair this fine Pinot Noir with pedestrian fare, so why not treat yourself?

The Mark West Winery specializes in Pinot Noir. Under the expert direction of Winemaker Alex Cose, this small Sonoma County winery selects some of the finest Pinot Noir fruit in the country, which it turns into classically styled, suave, sophisticated Pinot Noir wines. Drawing primarily from the cool, upper coastal hills of western Sonoma County and Sonoma Carneros, this venture's wines combine Burgundian complexity with the pure exuberance of California fruit. Few California wineries can claim as much consistent success with Pinot Noir, the world's most difficult red wine to make, as the Mark West Winery. Unquestionably, Mark West is one reason Sonoma County is now commanding respect as the premier place for Pinot Noir in California and one of the world's few truly great Pinot Noir producing regions. Happily, Mark West has resisted the frenzy of greed that has propelled so many other premium California producers to raise the price of their Pinot Noir through the roof. May it always be so, or we will all have to earn a lot more money!