Winemaker Notes
A brilliant ruby color. This wine is just so pretty and lifted upon pouring. Delicious and inviting aromas of dark cherry and raspberry, with exotic floral notes and a subtle wet soil base that transfers to the palate. This selection of the more open and approachable barrels from every Sonoma Coast site has come together beautifully. It is an energetic wine with tons of appeal and delectable length that turns gorgeously floral and spicy over time in the glass. Drink over the next 8 years.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium ruby-purple, the 2020 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast has pretty aromas of roasted cranberries and rhubarb, with tones of forest floor, autumn leaves and soft meaty hints. The medium-bodied palate is soft and grainy, with rounded acidity, a core of spicy fruit and a long finish. Best After 2022
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.