A lovely wine, this 2007 Hunter Hill pinot noir from the Santa Cruz Mountains. We tried it last night with Alaskan King salmon, polenta and braised kale. The wine opened quickly into a dynamic mix of plums, cloves and licorice. And it just kept coming.

For my money—a well-spent $24—I feel a slight disconnect between the label’s primary image, an abalone shell, and the winery’s name, Hunter Hill. Clearly there’s something I’m missing here. But it’s not about to stop me from being crazy about this wine.

Go get some and see what you think. (Also, get back to me about the label.)