Winemaker Notes
Dark red color. The low yields of the vintage are apparent here. Darker flavors of cherry liqueur, rose petal, cinnamon, black tea and wood spice are usual from the start. After and hour of being open aromas and flavors begin to jump from the glass and coat the palate. This is deliciously impactful in the mouth with its texture and perfume that turn more and more elegant over time.
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.