Derek Barnett is a huge fan of Canadian Oak. He has been using it since his Southbrook days and he continued his love affair with this wood when he moved to Lailey. He ends up making some very interesting wine when he does (I remember getting coconut notes in a Chardonnay). On the other hand, sometimes the resulting wines don’t deliver what he was initially looking for (they taste rather ordinary) – but on those occasions where it does work, well, I think the best term to use here is “magical” … This wine is one of the latter. To start, Derek used single vineyard fruit from the vineyard known as “the Brickyard Vineyard”, and is a very limited production wine (only 84 cases). But these little tidbits of information do not help to explain the price of $35.00, afterall, price means nothing if you can’t back it up where it counts … I am here to tell you, this one goes all the way to eleven. The nose is your basic Pinot Noir experience: cherry, vanilla, a touch of earth with hints of floral … a little tight because of its jeunesse (that means young) – but if that nose develops like the palate has, in two years this is going to be the wine that’ll turn you into a Pinot Noir fan. The palate wows you with a mixture of sweet and sour cherry, cranberry, vanilla, cinnamon and spices, all wrapped up in a gentle cedar blanket with a touch of violets on the finish. What more is there to say, except seek between the cushions on the couch, dig up a relative buried with some valuable antique you can hock, or, if all else fails, borrow from a friend. Use any means necessary to get a few extra shekels because you have got to try, and buy, this wine, at least two bottles, one for now and definitely one for later (say 5 years). You won’t be disappointed with this delicate and delicious beauty. Price: $35.00 – Rating: *****