Med ruby with wide pink edges.  Big plum pudding, spicy and dense, roiling in crushed rock and hot vinyl or pure Asian lacquer.  Almost obnoxious minerality, rife throughout, sharp and hot–all directed toward the wholesome, round Carneros barnyard with a side of stem.  A most interesting Pinot, a fitting in quite well with the recent Tatomer and Municipal Wine offerings.  The big differences are: this is the Napa side of Carneros–not SB, and this is 2 years older.  Draw your own conclusions.  Take as long as you like.  Those in the front row will also point out this has the lowest AL of the group.  This thing is so fresh and bright, alarmingly edgy while maintaining a non-mistakable Pinot elegance.  Blind, I would probably go with Oregon or Germany/Austria.  But there is a nutty warmth which can only be CA.  In the mouth, bright and bitter, gorgeously-fruited but not slutty.  Thin but never delicate, acrid and round, stemmy and polished, funky in an evening gown.  An absolutely DELIGHTFUL wine, and am starting to feel like I am on a SERIOUS run with these great little IPOB pinots.
♦♦
2012 BRAVIUM Pinot Noir Napa Valley Carneros Beau Terroir  12-9
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