Not far from the Tres Hermanas vineyards (see Varietal Voyage No.1) lies the Ovene Winery. Ovene is a small family owned winery that makes several top notch wines made from: Syrah, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and an interesting Pinot Noir called “The Puzzle.”

This elegant Pinot Noir is a blend of grapes from the Laetitia and Latchford vineyards. The Laetitia vineyard is close to the ocean and its relatively cool climate and rocky soils yields grapes with intense fruit aromas and flavors. Latchford, on the other hand, provides grapes with ripe fruit and complex earthy flavors.

The bottle that I sampled was purchased at a wine tasting almost a year ago. The light garnet color was different that I remembered, but the complex cherry aromas were spot on. Rich cherry flavors evolved in to spicy cranberry notes on the finish. More pieces of the puzzle began to fall in to place over the next few hours. Complex earthy aromas and flavors slowly unveiled themselves throughout the night. Hopefully I can find more bottle to add to my cellar!

Ovene “The Puzzle” Pinot Noir 2005 ($30) 

• 100% Pinot Noir
• Central Coast, California
• Product Sheet