Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
Among the most concentrated of the very impressive Saintsbury brood, this wine also brings a fair bit of vitality to the party, and it is that underlying energy that makes a complete picture here. High in ripe cherry fruit with both dried raspberry and a light but noticeable hint of milk chocolate, this wine may offend a few of the lighter-style fans yet is destined to be a lovely, tasty addition to any menu calling for rich or long-cooked meats from standing rib roast to duck confit. And like virtually every one of the efforts from Saintsbury, it can age a bit also.
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Wine Enthusiast
From the Pratt Vineyard on Sexton Road, this impressive offering is bold and lush, smoothly textured even in its concentration of thick red cherry and forest. It exalts in a shock of white pepper that is beautiful to behold.
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Wine Spectator
Exhibits a zesty, spicy mix of peppery notes, with jazzy raspberry and dried herb details. At points savory and dusty, this is also supple and caressing.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2014 Saintsbury Pratt Vineyard Pinot Noir deftly combines ripe fruit with savory earth notes. Smooth and layered on the palate, this wine should match well with grilled beef dishes. Drinks famously now. (Tasted: September 8, 2016, San Francisco, CA)
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.