By now, most of those who are familiar with the Kingston wines know that Tobiano is the more approachable, easy-drinking pinot in our line-up, next to the more intense and nuanced Alazan. Our Tobiano is a blend of different parcels within the greater Kingston vineyard, those which meet our high standards but don’t necessarily make the top bottling. As we have gotten smarter about how to make Pinot Noir from our vineyard, I think the level of quality of the Tobiano has taken a big jump forward. Lately it seems that my task at blending is more a matter of cherry picking the very best lots for Alazan rather than, as in the early days, kicking out what didn’t make the grade in order to make a wine worthy of Alazan. A subtle difference perhaps.

I have always taken pride in offering good, serious (well a little serious anyway) wine for a reasonable price. The 2008 Tobiano is definitely a little serious, with loads of ripe raspberry, strawberry and cherry pie flavors and aromas as well as the usual “gout de Casablanca,” which I often call a savory or mineral or smoky note. It is this savory note that I think lends a little seriousness to the wine, and separates it from the more straightforwardly fruity Pinot Noirs that I work with here at home in California. It is a fairly big wine, and like all the Kingston reds, it will benefit from a little air. But I would say that it is more a wine for enjoying now, while it is youthful and fresh, than it is for laying down. ¡Salud!