Winemaker Notes
The Sonoma Coast blend showcases the brooding, fog-laden terroir of our coastal vineyard sites. The initial nose of this wine is all about sous bois (forest floor) and savory herbal notes. Pomegranate and plum flavors dominate the palate, giving way to firm tannins that signal to its cool-climate growing region. The finish is rich and concentrated, with a pleasant taste of bittersweet chocolate.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A classic, earthy and savory wine with aromas of wild berries, forest and bramble fruit. The palate is mineral driven, with herb and ripe berry flavors, fresh acidity and mouth-coating tannins. The finish shows pleasing orange zest notes. Medium-bodied.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2023 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast is a youthful hazy red color and reveals refreshing, compact wild berry fruit, with redcurrants, black raspberries, fresh flowers, brambly herbs, and sweet spices. The palate is medium-bodied, with finely coiled tannins and bright tension in its mouthwatering acidity. Rating: 93+
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2023 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast was fermented with around 25% whole clusters and matured for 11 months in 42% new French oak. It has slowly unfurling aromas of blueberry, pomegranate, tangerine peel, earth and bitters, and its new oak spice is well integrated. The medium-bodied palate is bursting with spicy flavors. It’s structured by dusty tannins and vibrant acidity and has a long, spicy finish.
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Wine Spectator
A frankly ripe red, with succulent mulberry and boysenberry pâte de fruit notes pumping along, while red licorice, fruitcake and bramble details fill in throughout. Shows a floral flash in the background for a touch of lift.
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.