Winemaker Notes
Sourced from the Russian River Valley and the Sonoma Coast AVAs, the Sonoma County epitomizes elegance. Notes of strawberry and cherry are complemented by blueberry aromas. Hints of dried herbs and allspice combine with notes of Earl Grey tea. The palate mimics the nose with pretty strawberry and cherry flavors, and an added essence of plum. There is enough acidity to provide freshness all the way to the cherry stone sensation on the finish. This is a serious wine that is fruit-forward yet can definitely be enjoyed in its youth.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Tangy and delicate, this coastal wine is dominated by vibrant acidity and an Asian spice tone. Teases of orange peel, red cherry and gravelly forest floor flavors emerge on the well-balanced palate.
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Wine & Spirits
A generous, clean and fragrant pinot, this is not heavily extracted or superripe. Instead, it’s a standard-bearer for Sonoma County, an earthy and bright cherry-scented wine with brisk clarity. Enjoy its simple pleasures with grilled chopped sirloin.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.