Radio-Coteau Terra Neuma Pinot Noir 2014
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Robert
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Wine & Spirits
If you’re familiar with the wild, woodsy scent of Sonoma Coast syrah, check out this pinot noir. There’s a rawness to it that’s irresistibly compelling—piney, almost abrasive tannins, a feral scent of tanned leather and a more lifted violet scent. The fruit comes from a biodynamically farmed site on the cool southern edge of the Freestone-Occidental hills. In a warm year like 2014, those vines seemed to draw energy from the cooling wind and fog of the nearby Petaluma Gap, the fruit accumulating a dynamic pungency that transforms the wine into something completely delicious as it takes on air. The tannins soften, the layers of flavor become harmonious and supple. Eric Sussman’s hands-off winemaking—no additions other than sulfur—contribute to this wine’s sense of individuality; it feels more about site than generic “pinot noir” typicity, and will be a fascinating wine to watch over the next decade.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The biodynamic vineyard that Sussman sources for the 2014 Pinot Noir Terra Neuma is a cold site as well with very low yields, The clonal selections here are limited to Dijon 155 and 777. This wine gets the same oak treatment as the La Neblina, and the result is a floral, almost Musigny grand cru-like Pinot Noir with a very Burgundian personality. Crushed rocks, spring flowers, raspberries and black cherries are all present in this wine, which has medium to full body, terrific fruit intensity, purity and overall texture. Drink it over the next decade.
Eric Sussman first heard the expression radio coteau from a friend while living and working in Burgundy. More than a preference for how you discover these wines, the name reflects a commitment to capturing reflections of soil, seasons, people and place. In 2002, Eric established Radio-Coteau, focusing on the north coast vineyards of western Sonoma County and Anderson Valley. With their benchland locations, well-drained soils, exposure by capricious marine air and fog, these sites host grapes naturally suited to their surrounding elements. This natural selection afforded Eric an opportunity to refine his Old World experiences while working with New World grapes. For more than a decade, he has strived to balance nature’s expression with a delicate, but disciplined human touch in these handcrafted wines.
The Sonoma Coast AVA is large in area but, not counting overlapping regions like Russian River Valley, only has a few thousand acres of grapevines—and it’s no wonder. Much of the region is rugged and not easily accessible. Its proximity to the Pacific Ocean’s fog and cool breezes limits the varieties that can be cultivated, but it proves to be an ideal environment for high quality Pinot Noir.
Since fog is a frequent fact of life here, as are heavy marine layers that sometimes bring rain, the best vineyards are wisely planted above the fog line, on picturesque ridges that capture enough sun to provide even ripening. That, with the overnight drop in temperature that reliably preserves acidity, results in fine expressions of Pinot Noir that often receive tremendous critic and consumer praise alike, and are often in high demand.