Hartford’s 2010 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard captures the best qualities of Russian River Pinot. Juicy and explosive, the 2010 is layered and nuanced throughout. Juicy dark cherries, hard candy, mint and freshly cut flowers are all alive in the glass. The Arrendell has a level of inner perfume, complexity and sheer sweetness that is remarkable. Hints of sage, rosemary and mint add nuance on the close. This is a gorgeous wine from start to finish. Arrendell, one of the cooler sites on the Russian River, was planted in 1975 with the Martini clone. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020. Proprietor Don Hartford and winemaker Jeff Stewart have done a fabulous job with these new releases. It is rare for a winery to excel with so many different wines across three varieties and a bevy of sites. Each of these wines is unique and distinctive, not to mention that virtually all of the wines are immensely pleasing as well. This year, I was especially taken with the 2011 Zinfandels, wines that all have tremendous energy and vibrancy. At times, the Hartford Zinfandels can be quite Pinot-like in style. Tel. (800) 588-0234