Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Six vineyards near Sebastopol and two in the Petaluma Gap contribute to this firm pinot noir. The structure feels driven by the thick-skinned intensity of small berries, but oak and reduction close off the wine at first. Then, as it takes on air, a refreshing wild blueberry character grows out of the stony tannins, becoming increasingly aromatic and vivid, saturating the wine with a beautiful clarity of flavor. Leave it in the cellar for a few years before serving it with wild duck or pheasant. (2,479 cases)
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.