First, let me introduce you to this boutique producer of Pinot Noirs. You may not have heard of Ariki Hill (AKA Rick, Ricky) or the wines he makes under his Labyrinth label. But those who love a great value in a pinot that rewards aging should look no further.
I know, I know, in today’s instant grat world, such folks are few and far between, but I never said I was here to serve the masses. Call me a snob if you must, but I find the wine world’s nooks and crannies far more rewarding than its super highway. And at just $27 for a wine with "Bien Nacido Vineyard" on the label, this is a wine every pinotphile should cellar! Bien Nacido has a well-deserved reputation as one of the best sources of pinot noir in California.
Ariki runs a small, pinot-only winery that produces just three wines with each vintage. Interestingly, one is produced in the Southern Hemisphere – Yarra Valley – and two in the northern hemisphere (Santa Barbara, California) – the Bien Nacido Vineyard (mentioned above) and the White Hills Vineyard. When I spoke to Ariki, he told me he originally intended to work both hemispheres so he could double his winemaking experience in a short amount of time. I’d say he’s caught on quickly over the better part of a decade.
Enough preamble – here’s today’s story. I included Labyrinth’s 2004 Bien Nacido pinot in a 2006 "Miles’ Selections" club shipment. It remember it as a nice wine, of course, but hadn’t opened a bottle for months. We rectified our erroneous ways last weekend and found it to be an even nicer wine. Two nights later, I emptied the bottle of its remaining glass-worth of wine and found it had noticeably improved – more open and integrated but still intriguing to the point where I bought more bottles before posting this, just to make sure we could get some. I expect this wine will sell out once the news gets out 
Cheers!
Dave Chambers, Wine Merchant
Toll Free 866-746-7293
God gave us the gift of wine to cheer both great and small – little fools will drink too much and great fools not at all, unless they visit www.SidewaysWineClub.com"
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