Winemaker Notes
The foundation of the west ridge estate pinot noir is block 7, planted in 1990 with cuttings david hirsch took from the mount eden vineyard in the santa cruz mountains. It is a true massale selection, with a diverse genetic makeup. The lineage of these plants can be traced back to paul masson, who brought pinot noir cuttings from burgundy to california in the late 1800s. The genetic diversity of the plants imparts greater complexity to the wine. The vines are however stricken with leaf-roll virus, a disease that causes the leaves to turn red very early on in the growing season. This inhibits the ability of the vines to carry out photosynthesis and produce sugar. The result is wines that are more delicate, naturally lower in alcohol, and have extremely fine tannin's.
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
More lightly hued, with a translucent ruby color, the 2017 Pinot Noir West Ridge Estate spent 16 months in oak (although I have no idea how much new or used). Beautiful Burgundian notes of spiced red fruits, flowers, sappy herbs, bouquet garni, and smoked earth all emerge from the glass, and this medium-bodied beauty offers a seamless texture, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish. It's a whopping 12% alcohol yet packs terrific intensity, depth, and length. It's a beautiful wine.
-
James Suckling
There’s a wealth of fresh, brambly red cherries and berries here with faint, grassy and forest woody notes, too. This is strikingly pure and vibrant pinot. The palate has a succulent, lithe, juicy and seductively fine feel with such pristine red cherries, delivered in an enlivened, focused mode. Fresh and powerful Pinot at just 12% abv. Drink or hold.
-
Wine & Spirits
A cool, coastal wash of flavor, this is blended from a selection of blocks on a ridge overlooking the Pacific. It’s light in weight, with zesty spice that lasts through the inky blackness of the wine’s tannins. Those tannins are soft, suited to a grilled salmon steak.
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.