Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A barrel selection of the best of the Coteaux Nobles vineyard, the 2015 Pinot Noir Joli Coeur has a deep ruby-purple color and very impressive nose of red currants, black raspberries and violets over nuances of pencil lead, iron ore, underbrush and dusty earth, plus a touch of fungi. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has the volume turned up on the earthy, perfumed fruit flavor intensity, with very fine, ripe, pixelated tannins and tons of freshness, finishing very long. 350 cases were made.
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.