Richard Jennings – Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-jennings/santa-cruz-mountains-pinot_b_1469916.html

“Two other very good producers weren’t represented at this year’s Pinot Paradise, McHenry and Windy Oaks. Of those that were represented, there were two newcomers that greatly impressed me — Silvertip and Villa del Monte.”

This is what Jennings wrote about Silvertip Vineyards on his blog                                        http://www.rjonwine.com/california-wine/santa-cruz-mountains-pinot-noir/

Silvertip was one of my two “finds” of this tasting–a producer I’d never heard of, that was only established in 2009. The owners are Paul Stroth and Philip Nelson. Stroth has been making Syrah and Zin under the Stroth-Hall label since 2005. I got to taste their wines at the morning technical seminar at this event, and was immediately attracted to their complexity and Asian spice characteristics. The wines are produced from a nine-acre vineyard with sandy soils planted at an elevation of 1700 feet near the top of Santa Cruz Mountains’ western slopes. That vineyard is planted to Pinot, Chardonnay and Syrah. The 2008 was based entirely on clone 828, while the 2009 version included Pommard clone along with Dijon clones 828, 115 and 667. I definitely look forward to following this project.

2008 Silvertip Vineyards Pinot Noir – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains

Medium dark cherry red color; hoisin, spice box, dried black cherry, Asian 5-spice nose; very appealing, Asian spice, tart black cherry, tart blackberry, lilac palate with medium acidity; medium-plus finish 92+ points (clone 828) (92 pts.)

2009 Silvertip Vineyards Pinot Noir– USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains

Dark ruby color; Asian spice, black cherry, berry nose; tasty, blackberry, black cherry, Asian spice, hoisin sauce palate with lift and near medium acidity; needs 1-2 years; medium-plus finish (clones 828, 115, Pommard and 667; 1/3 new oak) (92 pts.)