One of Windy Oaks Estate’s many supple estate pinot noirs — the 2008 
Terra Narro — has taken another gold (second year in a row) from the Beverage Tasting Institute’s World Wine Championships. Congratulations to winemaker Jim Schultze, whose beautiful garnet creation is loaded with peppers and berries and enough bracing structure to partner earthy foods.
Under $30 for a serious example of outstanding Santa Cruz Mountains terroir, and available at the Windy Oaks website and your favorite wine emporia, such as Shoppers and New Leaf.
Not a big Windy Oaks fan, prefer the leaner and less advertised McHenry. My point: the 2008 McHenry (the fire year) is a whopping (for them) 14.4. So does “sumptuous” applied to Windy Oaks mean “Parker-friendly” and all the aversion that implies?