Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Dried rose petals, orange rind, raspberry tea, strawberry perfume and plenty of citrus and spices. On the palate, this is a muscular pinot with grainy, firm tannins, lots of dark-chocolate flavors and a taut layer of acidity. A long, mineral finish. Drink in 2020.
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Wine Spectator
Lithe and well-sculpted, featuring concentrated minerality and juicy red fruit flavors. Raspberry tart notes linger on the long, crisp finish, with hints of white pepper. Drink now through 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.