Decimus Pinot Noir Napa Valley 2011

Translucent ruby color; red currant, cranberry nose; delicious cranberry, cherry, strawberry on the palate;

elegant, vibrant, flaunts its Burgundian style while lacking the French funkiness; big flavor, very restrained oak, wonderful finishing tang reflect the talents of lead winemaker Steve Reynolds. This is excellent wine, fairly priced.
“Decimus” is Latin for “a tenth”—a tithe—and 10 percent of proceeds from every bottle sold goes to Living Water International, an organization that “exists to demonstrate the love of God by helping communities acquire desperately needed clean water, and to experience ‘living water’—the gospel of Jesus Christ—which alone satisfies the deepest thirst.” Stephen and Allison Lewis of Houston are the owners of the company and their stated mission is to “turn wine into water” in the parts of the world in greatest need.
Stephen is successful in finance, Allison successful in television journalism, they share a love of wine and a commitment to something more than money and fame: “success in life comes as a result of working hard on something you love to do, but significance in life requires taking the success and changing the lives of others.” You do not have to buy into the Christian commitment to doing for “the least of thy brethren” to appreciate and enjoy this splendidly tasty chardonnay from Los Carneros Appellation of Napa, but for those of us who do, it makes the wine even more admirable.
Do something good for yourself and the world’s most desperate, drink a Decimus today. Seldom is doing the right thing more painless and delicious. $52
Decides Wine website
Second photo: Lewis family
Decimus Pinot Noir
Stephen-Allison Lewis family