Winemaker Notes
Scents of rose petals, wild berries and pomegranate are layered with intriguing hints of cocoa and baking spice. With a stately crimson hue, flavors of ripe strawberry and dark plum are intertwined with secondary notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and toasted almonds. Overall, a fantastic, food-friendly wine that becomes more rich and luxurious with time in the glass.
Pair this wine with earthy cheeses and cured meats or enjoy alongside wild mushroom risotto, a grilled salmon or lamb skewers with roasted red peppers.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Aromas of a brambly strawberry patch leads to earthy roundness, creating a deluxe plum texture. Notes of wet leaves, oregano, and cinnamon are met by a mid-palate of sweet cherry and marzipan.
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.