Winemaker Notes
Red fruit and rose petals are the first aromas out of the glass, although with a bit of time they morph into freshly tilled earth, raw mushrooms and a hint of chamomile. Raspberry and first of the season strawberries on the palate move towards a loamy middle with generous amounts of acidity and a touch of baking spice on the finish. Over the next few years this wine will add weight in bottle making it even more complex and interesting.
In it’s youth, it will benefit greatly from a hearty decant and a well cooked meal.
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.