Winemaker Notes
This year's vintage has hints of cool mint and dark chocolate-covered blueberries, offering a rich, aromatic profile with an intriguing touch of umami. A bright yet creamy mid-palate gives it an appealing weight, while notes of black pepper and dark cherry add layers of complexity.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
From one of the latest harvests in the Sonoma Coast history, development of flavor had an advantage and this wine is proof. This wine is a blend of the estate’s six vineyards including the Heritage Vineyards of the Durell, Gap’s Crown, and Walala. The wine is delicate and feathery, with clear cut acid structure that illuminates cherries, pomegranate, and orange peel. Its dimension is notable, a down pillow of creamy blueberry, hibiscus, and mint chocolate chip with a dash of black pepper on the finish.
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James Suckling
Lifted, pretty aromas of red berries, potpourri, baking spices, apple skin, cinnamon bark and pine resin. The palate is precise and taut, with a luscious mouthfeel, fine-boned tannins and a mineral-edged finish. 25% whole-cluster fermentation adds an extra level of texture and earthiness.
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Vinous
The 2023 Pinot Noir Price Family Estates draws on all of Bill Price’s vineyards. Bright acids and beams of tannin immediately confer both freshness and energy. Crushed rose petal, chalk, mint, slate and dried herbs show all the delineation of a cool, late-ripening year. This is impeccably done, but also young. Give it a year or two in bottle.
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of raspberry, mint leaves, orange zest and clove waft from the glass on the nose of this Pinot. The palate brings rich tannin and zesty acidity, with flavors of baked berry pie, fresh herb mélange and pie spice that rattle and hum through the finish.
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.