If I remember the 2004 Dierberg Pinot Noir had a bit of red fruit to the nose and quite some amounts of tannins to go with the stone fruit that I remember. (Hey, I liked how it tasted back then, but do you think my wine notes are that extensive for stuff I store?)
On opening this bottle after a decade, the nose is not exactly welcoming. Lots of leather, earth, a little bit of feet. Don't worry this will go away under a minute when the wine is decanted properly (in a thin stream or let slide in a sheet down the neck of the decanter.) Let breathe in any case. There is some sediment, but decanting slowly will leave most in the bottle.
While most of the nose goes away, there is a subtle hint of fragrance that I really cannot identify. It's warm, maybe almost like sun-warmed brick walkway. There is a hint some red fruit and a bit of spice in the fragrance. There is quite a bit of red fruit on the tongue, more raspberry than cherry, and a bit of strawberry and maybe some red apple there as well. The spiciness is pronounced in a good way, more white peppercorn than black. (Not herbal enough for any green peppecorn to come out.
On the whole very warming. (There is a Snow storm advisory here, I need all the warming I can get.) Certainly a wine to share.
