Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Rich in rose scents, this is an extremely light, crisply textured wine, with subtle pomegranate, tart cherry and orange flavors. Silky and delicate, it offers a wealth of acidity.
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Connoisseurs' Guide
Here is a genuinely elegant offering that manages to be brilliantly fruity while holding pushy ripeness at bay, and, while a somewhat lighter wine than “The Pianist” from the same maker, it sacrifices nothing in the way of varietal interest. It is comparatively low in alcohol -- only 12.9% according to its label -- but it does not so much as glance in the direction of greenness and is instead lithe and quite refined in feel with a trim touch of acidity making an enlivening, eleventh-hour appearance. Mark it for service with lighter meats and meaty fish courses, but do not feel the need for drinking it too soon.
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.