Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Always the richest in the lineup, the 2018 Pinot Noir Bodega Headlands Vineyard Cuvee Elizabeth is another magical wine in the making. Gorgeous crème de cassis, smoked herbs, earth, and graphite all define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with a wealth of fruit, classic Pinot Noir elegance, ripe tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. This magical, deep, layered, seamless Pinot Noir is another killer wine in the vintage that's going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and cruise for 10-15 years in cold cellars.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2018 Pinot Noir Bodega Headlands Cuvée Elizabeth bursts from the glass with very pure cranberry and boysenberry preserves, black tea leaves, blood orange and loads of floral nuances, with soft earthy undertones. The palate is seamless, with a cashmere-like texture and transparent, saline-laced fruits. It finishes tremendously long and detailed.
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.