Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
The vineyard lies between Freestone and Bodega Bay, one of the coolest parts of the far Sonoma Coast. The wine is fairly pale for a California Pinot Noir, with nuanced flavors of toast, spices, raspberries and persimmons, in a silky, vibrant texture. The oak application has not yet been fully integrated.
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Wine Spectator
Wilted rose and floral scents lead to firm, snappy cherry and wild berry fruit, with a dash of watermelon. Full-bodied, with a touch of fresh earth, ending with tannins that give the flavors traction.
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.