Winemaker Notes
Luscious nose of black cherries and Santa Rosa plums, with underground notes of smoked meat and peat - the classic aromas of this special vineyard. The tannins are rich and generous but subtle, contributing complexity to the fleshy palate and promising a long aging potential.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
Distinctive, featuring a smoky, toasty overlay that complements a gentle core of gravelly berry, plum and cherry flavors. Long and clean on the finish.
-
Wine Enthusiast
This estate-grown wine is tannic and tightly wound, savory in nature with a moderate build and structure. Forest floor is prominent and persistent, with streaks of raspberry that brighten.
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.