Winemaker Notes
The 2019 Aston Estate has a muscular edge that really speaks to this rugged northern Sonoma Coast location. The nose starts savory with white pepper, forest floor, dried herbs and menthol. The fruit kicks in on the entry featuring elements of red and blue fruits framed by the tannin that comes in early. Tea notes come in at the end complementing the raspberry and boysenberry high toned finish. As Aston continues to refine this now 20 year old vineyard, they are hoping to see more of this from the Estate in the future, a little more drinkability at release but ripe, persistent tannin that sets up the wines for a couple decades in the cellar.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
In the not-shy style, this pumps out tasty boysenberry and blackberry puree fruit, liberally laced with anise and singed mesquite. Shows a bit of a wild brambly edge through the finish as the fruit pumps through, with the requisite acidity for support. Very distinctive, and should be fun to cellar. Drink now through 2030. 500 cases made.
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.