The 2008 Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard takes shape beautifully in the glass, with layers of bright red fruits, flowers, spices and tobacco. It is an impeccable, polished wine from start to finish. This is one of the wines that shows more stem character than some of the others. A textured, multi-dimensional finish of considerable elegance sets the Mills Vineyard apart. Here, too, there is a slightly fleeting quality, but there seems to be enough fruit for the wine to drink well for another handful of years, perhaps longer. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020. I was deeply impressed with the wines I tasted from Josh Jensen and Calera. Vintage 2008 was not an easy one, as a severe spring frost reduced yields to less than one ton per acre. Most of the Pinots are made with 100% whole clusters. I am not sure each of these sites is ideally suited to such a high percentage of stem inclusion, especially in this vintage, but time will tell. Calera has what are easily the most informative back labels I have ever seen, with much more information and detail on each wine than I can reproduce here. Kudos to Josh Jensen for providing his customers with the maximum level of detail one could ever ask for. Unfortunately I was not able to taste the Chardonnays, but I will report on those wines as soon as possible. Tel. (831) 637-9170; www.calerawine.com

Tough and gritty in youth, this Pinot is quite tannic, giving it a mouthfeel that resists immediate pleasure. However, it’s dry, silky and elegant, with a rich core of cherries, minerals, cola, sweet Provencal herbs and sandalwood. It’s a fine wine that needs time in the cellar, perhaps as much as a decade. The score reflects its potential. ——S.H.(12/31/2011)—— 90