Winemaker Notes
The 2021 West Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is reminiscent of a young Savigny-lès-Beaune, with its subtle nose of Asian spices, floral notes and wet earth. There is considerable tannin on the understated palate, which opens up nicely with a decanting and some time in the glass. The tannins soften and allow the well-balanced acidity and beautiful, berry flavors to come through.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
Bright and engaging, with great energy to the core of bitter cherry and mulberry fruit, backed by light bramble, singed anise and mouthwatering savory notes. A wiry, tensile style. Best from 2025 through 2029. 1,100 cases made.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The first vintage of this wine with the WSC designation printed on the label, the 2021 Pinot Noir West Sonoma Coast pours a deep ruby hue and reveals forward aromas of cherry, wild herbs, and sassafras. Medium to full-bodied and driven with vibrant acidity, it has notes of crunchy cranberry fruit and is savory with saltiness, wild forest herbs, and rhubarb. There’s a touch of greenness to the tannins, but it’s an attractive red. Drink 2024-2028.
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.