Winemaker Notes
The estate Hillcrest sits atop a hill rooted in shallow, rocky soil receiving excellent sunlight and is immersed by fog nearly every evening. A mere 10 miles from the ocean, the grapes from this site tend to have moderate acidity, approachable fruitiness, and excellent aromatics.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Day One is entirely from the Hillcrest Vineyard, which was the first vineyard the three partners planted to make their first Pinot Noir. The 2019 Pinot Noir Day One is perfumed with sweet flowers, wild raspberry, and baking spice. The palate is juicy and inviting, with soft ripe cherry and a silky soft texture. It is approachable and delicious now, but there should be no rush.
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.