Winemaker Notes
The Haven is the original Estate vineyard. Planted in 2001, it is a microcosm of the diversity of soils within the Sonoma Coast, containing uplifted undersea volcanic rocks, sandstones, shales, and loams. It is located at 1200 feet elevation between the tiny town of Occidental and the Pacific Ocean, lying on an east-west ridge and from its south-facing slope where one can see the fog-enshrouded ocean in the distance. The vineyard is late-ripening and very cool; one of the last sites they harvest every year. After harvest, the grapes are pressed and the wine is aged for approximately 16 months in 20-25 new French oa
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Great pinot has haunting, beguiling character and this is Haven to a tee. The aromas are complex and change with every minute in the glass, moving from stones and fresh forest wood to a complex and spicy stream of red and darker cherries and plums. Earthy nuances, too. The palate has such expansive shape and delivers seamless fruit. A succulent, intense and fresh core of red cherries holds and holds on the finish. A river of noble tannin. This is as good as they come. Wildly delicious now, but better in 2025.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Ted Lemon says, "The Mays Pinot Noir was picked in late August and the Haven fruit was picked three weeks later. After the heat, things shut down and that's why we waited another three weeks to pick. But to me, there's a commonality of vintage." The 2017 Pinot Noir The Haven Vineyard is pale to medium ruby with scents of spiced blackberry pie, citrus peel, dried tea leaves, crushed stone and dried flowers with a core of crushed black cherry, dried cranberries, rhubarb and tobacco leaf. The palate is light to medium-bodied and broody with amaro-tinged fruits and great floral sparks. It has a firm, fine-grained frame and seamless acidity, finishing long and layered.
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.