Winemaker Notes
Intense red and black cherry and raspberry coulis flavors with earthy notes (graphite), rich and concentrated with a lingering finish. Will age gracefully for decades.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming from shallow soils in the Fort Ross-Seaview appellation, the 2018 Pinot Noir Joli Coeur is another beautiful wine. Mulled raspberries, black cherries, violets, game, and exotic spice notes all emerge from the glass, and it's a wonderfully complex, nuanced 2018 that has flawless balance, a beautiful spine of acidity, and a great finish. As with all of Luc's wines, it has terrific richness and depth while staying weightless and elegant. It's drinking beautifully today yet should easily evolve for 10-12 years in cold cellars. It's a stunning Pinot Noir from this house.
Rating: 98(+) -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Joli Coeur Pinot Noir comes from the “sweet spot” within the Coteaux Nobles vineyard in Fort Ross-Seaview AVA, planted to an eastern exposure and shallower topsoil. Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2018 Pinot Noir Joli Coeur has a seductive nose of rose oil, kirsch, chocolate-covered cherries and cranberry preserves with hints of cinnamon stick, clove oil, wild mushrooms and forest floor. The full-bodied palate delivers impactful, mouth-coating red berry flavors, supported by fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing on a persistent mineral note. 320 cases were made.
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James Suckling
Aromas of blueberries, dried cherries, violets, licorice and vanilla. It’s full-bodied with creamy, powdery tannins. Excellent depth with a rich, spiced finish. Richer style of Sonoma Coast pinot and holding together nicely.
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.