Wine of the Week: Pinot Noir 2008

This week’s Wine of the Week comes from . 

The store is owned by two brothers. Ralph Hersom, a world class sommelier and Rick Hersom, a local businessman.

Ralph started his own private label.

“A private label is a great way to offer quality wines at a lower price point for my customers,” said Hersom.

He also said he plans to add more to his line, including a Sauvignon Blanc, a Cabernet Sauvignon and is also considering a Zinfandel.  

For this Wine of the Week we, are featuring Ralph's Private Label Pinot Noir 2008. It has flavors of cherry, plum, strawberry and soft tannins. Hersom described it as a “well balanced wine.”

“Fruit is sourced from John Dyson's 625 acre Vista Verde Vineyard which is located in the Central Coast appellation in California. 100% barrel aged in French Oak for 8 months BUT barrels are 3-4 years old thus imparting less of a new oak presence. The wine is also only 13% alcohol which for California Pinot Noir is low (most are 14.2+%),” explained Hersom. 

Hersom suggested pairing this particular wine with a steak dish or as an aperitif. The store also has a personal chef, Kim Savage.

“With Kim's Chef credentials ‘paired’ up with my Sommelier background we are able to guide our clientele towards the best wines for their dinner. We take this one step further by offering weekly wine classes that help educate people on the art of food and wine pairing,” said Hersom. 

If you are looking to host a dinner party, or just a dinner for two, but are not sure what to make for dinner or what wines to serve, Ralph and Kim can help. They also host Wine Dinners right  in your home, where you will be able to have a night of five-star dining without leaving your home!

For more information, go to www.derbystreetwine.com.