Winemaker Notes
Hints of rhubarb, rose petal and star anise add complexity as the wine opens up. Dark red fruit, forest floor and holiday spice enhance the freshness and verve on the palate. A remarkable representation of vintage and variety, we are thrilled with its drinkability today and future age-worthiness.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Fruity and earthy in good measure, this memorable wine is effusive in baked cherry and racy acidity, the spice components equally intriguing in cardamom, clove and pepper. Cohesive and supple on the palate, it is a great showcase for the vintage and appellation.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Moving to the reds, the 2018 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast was all destemmed and spent 10 months in 28% new French oak. Bright black cherry, mulberry, and passion fruit as well as lots of violet and spice notes emerge from this medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced effort. With terrific purity of fruit, a kiss of background oak, and a great finish, it's a terrific appellation wine to enjoy over the coming 7-8 years or so.
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.