Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Mouthfilling flavors of dark cherry, dried currant and raspberry tart are plush and loaded with spicy richness. Cream and white chocolate elements flood the long, rich finish, along with hints of forest floor and a subtle citrusy snap. Drink now through 2024.
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Jeb Dunnuck
From a site on true Sonoma Coast that lies above the fog line and consists of goldridge soils, the 2016 Pinot Noir Shell Ridge reveals a vibrant purple/ruby color as well as complex notes of red currants, blood orange, spice, and exotic flowers. Medium-bodied, it has a perfumed, high-toned character, notable elegance, and a pretty, complex, satisfying style. Drink it over the coming 7-8 years.
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Tasting Panel
Smooth, savory, and complex; unctuous, dense, and rich. Elegant and balanced with length and depth, this is another winner from a reliable producer.
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.