|
|
Wine Recommendation
Hayman & Hill
2005 Pinot Noir(Santa Lucia Highlands)
You could easily spend $50 or more for a Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir. But this tremendous value will set you back a mere $14. Hayman & Hill falls under the Constellation Wines umbrella and is named for David Hayman, an Australian winemaker who’s senior vice president of Pacific Wine Partners (a Constellation division), and Dennis Hill, chief winemaker for Blackstone (part of the Pacific Wine Partners portfolio).
The duo collaborate on the winemaking and source the fruit from some of California’s best-known appellations, so there’s a Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, and so on. The fruit for this Pinot Noir comes from the heart of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, an appellation made famous by the likes of Pisoni, Roar and Testarossa. But where those wines can be so big that they almost don’t taste like Pinot Noir, the Hayman & Hill comes down firmly on the pretty side of Pinot. It has plenty of bright cherry and strawberry flavors, and there’s enough structure to allow the wine to pair well with foods like salmon and roast chicken.
Reviewed August 30, 2006 by Laurie Daniel.
Other reviewed wines from Hayman & Hill
The Wine
Winery: Hayman & Hill |
The Reviewer
Laurie Daniel
Laurie Daniel, wine columnist for the San Jose Mercury News, has been reviewing wine for more than 10 years. She doesn’t use numbers, preferring to describe her recommended wines and let consumers decide for themselves. Laurie believes that bigger isn’t necessarily better; she’s partial to wines of balance, finesse and character. Her particular interests are Pinot Noir (versions that really taste like Pinot, that is) and aromatic whites like Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. |