Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Pinot Noir Frei Road Vineyard saw slightly more new oak and spent 18 months in one-third new barrels. Its deeper ruby color is followed by a smoky, meaty bouquet that carries ample spice box, chocolate, sweet earth, and forest floor. It's rich, has a big mid-palate, and ripe tannins, all making for a bombastic Pinot Noir that's ideal for drinking over the coming 7-8 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Pinot Noir Frei Road Vineyard is medium ruby colored with a nose of granite, lilac, crushed blueberries, concentrated black cherries and berries plus savory sparks and even a hint of bitter chocolate—lots of latent layers on the nose. Light to medium-bodied, it offers loads of concentrated flavors in the mouth (earth, spice and fruit), well structured by ripe tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing very, very long. Wow!
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Wine Spectator
Elegant and layered, offering concentrated cherry tart, dark plum and raspberry flavors, with ample sandalwood and Asian spice notes. The finely textured and lithe finish features lively minerality, revealing hints of cocoa powder. Drink now through 2025.
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.