ON THE NOSE:
We purchased this wine after watching Gary Vaynerchuk’s review (WLTV episode 200), and we must admit that we agree with him on most of what this wonderful little wine has to offer.
There is quite a bit of concentrated fruit on the nose with something else surrounding it … ah, the tangerine that Gary talked about, yes GV, that’s it! There is a lot of splendid charcoal here, as well as quite a bit of black pepper, not freshly ground black pepper, but the commercial pre-ground type. You have to pull the bouquet into you, almost chew the aroma. Each new pour is a treat to the nose: rotten cream, butterscotch candy, perfect black licorice, toast. This is a VERY nice nose, dear reader, and before we allow a drop to traverse our lips we have our eyebrows raised quite high indeed.
ON THE PALATE:
The mouthfeel is light, much lighter than anticipated, but it is still very satisfying. Very polished, this wine has no harshness and no cloying sweetness at all. Fruit-forward is an obvious thing to say here, yet I don’t quite agree with GV that this is a “palate destroyer!” The mid-palate is very “fresh,” like flushing the mouth and cheeks with fresh pond-water. The licorice comes through in an obvious way, and REAL licorice, not the fake sweet kind you used to have as a kid, but rather the Panda licorice you find at the health-food stores. The fruit certainly is, as Gary Vaynerchuk noted, black currant and intense blueberries; this is definitely jammy, but again, not cloying. The finish is very long and full of fruit as well.
This wine is immediately drinkable, which is nice to know if you need something that shows well just after popping. Again, we feel the need to point out the light body, but there is something about it that is very likable. At first I didn’t really like this wine, however, and made a note about it being disjointed, but as I sat with it I slowly realized just how good it was – Darcey knew it was good right from the start; I have learned to trust her palate even more than my own, though we rarely disagree and are SO LUCKY to have dramatically similar tastes. This excellent offering is rather understated, and is very elegant in that way, like a woman who really knows how to dress. At times, just at times, it reminds us of the Rhone with the earth and the dirt – alligator skin! All in all a very pleasant evening with a high quality wine that we are extremely pleased with, especially given the price. While not cheap, we got this baby on sale (I believe we got the very last bottle!) at the Wine Library for $27, but this little gem was well worth those extremely hard-earned North American dollars. Darcey and I totally agree with GV on the rating as well: a solid 91 pointer!
(Click here for an explanation of our ratings ...)
Our Rating: 91
Would we drink it again? 
Absolutely!
Would we buy it again?
Without hesitation!
Winemaker's notes
The fruit was hand picked during the cool morning hours. After being destemmed and gently crushed into small bins, a three day cold soak was carried out to preserve the unique varietal character of Petite Syrah. Punchdowns occurred three times a day to maximize the extraction of color, tannin and flavor. The malic fermentation occurred in the French oak barrels. After blending the wine from the barrels, it was filtered gently and bottled.
The wine is a deep inky purple with jammy notes that fill the mouth with ripe blackberry, blueberry and boysenberry. The voluptuous finish lingers with toasty vanilla and lush fruit.
The Nine North Wine Company is located in the prestigious Stags Leap District. Owned and operated by Jim Gill and James Harder, two long time friends from Canada who have fulfilled their dreams by moving to the Napa Valley to produce wine.
Working closely with Gill and Harder, is fellow vintner Jim Regusci. The three have developed a unique portfolio of small handcrafted wines. Each brand is under complete ownership and guidance by at least one of the three members. The trio together own Twenty Bench, Seven Sinners and Parcel 41. Individual ownership for the remaining brands follow:
James Harder and his wife Colleen own Jaden Icewine located in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. In addition, they own James Cole Estate Winery just south of the Stags Leap District on Silverado Trail, which is open for tour and tastings by prior appointment only.
Jim Gill is proprietor of Wooden Nickel, a small lot Petite Syrah that will also celebrate its first release in the spring of 2005. [My emphasis because this is the wine reviewed here]
Jim Regusci and his wife Diana own Regusci Winery in the Stags Leap District. A ghost winery built in 1878, focusing on estate bottlings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and old vine Zinfandel.
All of these fine selections are proudly represented nationally by Nine North Wine Company.
About the Napa Valley Yountville Region
Yountville wineries have evolved with the town. Twenty years ago, there were very few wineries in the area. The development of premium Yountville Wineries is a microcosm of the many changes the Valley has experienced in recent years.
Yountville Wine is produced in a moderate, breezy climate. The most popular grape in the region is Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot, Zinfandel and Syrah are also planted in Yountville, along with some cooler climate grapes like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Yountville Wineries typically make at least one of those varietals.
Yountville’s terrain is quite consistent. Alluvial fans dominate the wine region’s soils, especially in the west. Eastern Yountville contains a bit of soil that has eroded down from the hills.
The history of Yountville Wineries dates back over 150 years. In 1836, General Mariano Vallejo granted George Calvert Yount the 11,000 acre Caymus Rancho. It included much of the Valley floor between the modern day towns of Yountville and St Helena.
