Winemaker Notes
Fruit-driven with delicate earth undertones, the 2018 La Neblina is undeniably Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. The fragrant bouquet is driven by red cherry, crushed raspberry, and Santa Rosa plum, with a touch of rhubarb preserves. This pronounced fruit elegantly mingles with an earthy hint of forest floor, along with a secondary floral note of rosewater. A nuanced tinge of smooth vanilla coupled with polished yet expressive tannins highlight the approachability of this classic Pinot.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
This is the most fruit-driven of Radio-Coteau’s 2018 pinot noirs, a blend of barrel lots from five vineyards, all in western Sonoma County on Goldridge soil, including Eric Sussman’s estate in Occidental. A wash of red raspberry and freshly turned garden soil the flavors are gentle and generous while the structure is tight and refined.
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.