Winemaker Notes
Diamond Pile Vineyard is situated at the southwestern base of Sonoma Mountain, this vineyard boasts a western exposure, leaving the vines exposed to the elements. The soil composition is characterized by a clay loam top layer transitioning into a blend of sand, gravel, and rhyolitic bedrock. Natural stressors such as fog and wind, coupled with the planting of Dijon clones, impart the wine with a delicate, ethereal quality. Expect notes of blue fruits and spice, balanced with an elegant finesse.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A nervy, structured red with bright red cherries, cranberries and subtle spices on a full body. It shows a lot of freshness, drive and linearity, with touches of ripeness and heat in the finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of dusty cherry and cinnamon dominate the nose of this wine. The palate brings flavors of roasted strawberry, orange pith, black tea and clove. It’s an enchanting dance between vibrant acidity, savory flavors and plush tannin.
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Wine Spectator
This offers up silky, gently mulled blood orange and raspberry fruit that is soft and focused in feel, with light sandalwood, tea and savory notes filtering through. An understated style. Drink now through 2026. 500 cases made.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
A vast appellation covering Sonoma County’s Pacific coastline, the Sonoma Coast AVA runs all the way from the Mendocino County border, south to the San Pablo Bay. The region can actually be divided into two sections—the actual coastal vineyards, marked by marine soils, cool temperatures and saline ocean breezes—and the warmer, drier vineyards further inland, which are still heavily influenced by the Pacific but not quite with same intensity.
Contained within the appellation are the much smaller Fort Ross-Seaview and Petaluma Gap AVAs.
The Sonoma Coast is highly regarded for elegant Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and, increasingly, cool-climate Syrah. The wines have high acidity, moderate alcohol, firm tannin, and balanced ripeness.