Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A pinot with slate, stone and blueberry character. Full bodied, and dense with a pretty tannin tension. Juicy fruit. Drink now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Pinot Noir is intensely scented of crushed black and red cherries with hints of game, mossy tree bark and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with vibrant cherry and red berry flavors, framed by velvety tannins, finishing with great purity.
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.