There are few varieties to which Gerard Malat is more devoted than Pinot Noir, and I have – thanks to his frequent generosity in reaching deep into his cellar – tasted more than a dozen often formidable vintages. The 2003 Pinot Noir Reserve is distinguished in several respects, not least for being among the ripest in the estate’s history and certainly among the darkest, although already with a hint of garnet at the rim. Cooked cherry is accented with cinnamon and coconut in the nose. On the palate, this is deep, rich, and incipiently silky, with an effective balance between the almost jammy ripeness of cherries and shockingly butcher shop-like essences of raw meat. The finish is sleek, long and sweet. My impression is that this might not be among the most complex Pinot Noirs in the estate’s history, but they generally need time to fully express themselves, so we’ll see. Various importers including Morandell Imports, Los Angeles, CA; tel. (310) 328-5010 and Rosalie Sendelbach Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 260-1870