93 Points, James Suckling
Balanced, silky with focused acidity.
Drink now or cellar as many bottles as you can. You will be rewarded.
VINEYARDS
From the cool diurnal shifts in the south, to higher elevations in the North, there is a striking contrast to the concentration of fruit and high acidity. Cool, dry and long growing seasons in this maritime climate are essential, yielding wines of balance and complexity.
VINTAGE NOTES
Although 2020 was met with several hurdles, from historic fires to a global pandemic, we will forever recall the vintage to be one of resilience, perseverance, and unity. Shifts in temperature throughout the season resulted in shorter hang time and lower yields, but the fruit retained bright acidity, resulting in lively wines.
WINEMAKING NOTES
In an effort to produce a wine that pays honorable tribute to the esteemed AVA, we source our grapes from premium sites throughout the region. This blend includes several of the vineyards that have shown as standouts within the vast and rugged Sonoma Coast. Fermented separately in small open-top fermenters with gentle punch-downs. Maintained at moderate temperatures until dry, basket-pressed, and racked to 30% new French oak for 9 months.
Vintage: 2020
Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Ricioli, Cartan Vineyard
Appellation: Sonoma Coast
Aging: 30% New French Oak for 9 Months
Brix: 24.5
pH: 3.59
TA: 0.57 g/100ml
Alcohol: 13.8%
Gold Medal
Generously packed with black cherry, cola, cassis, and plum that all intermingle together in a creamy, velvety texture with great layering, finishing with delightful notes of oak and spice. Persistent, well-defined structure, wonderfully balanced.
95 Points
This stellar Napa Valley Red Blend marries lush plum and cherry with Malbec's dark berry depth and Petit Verdot's structure and spice. Layered with notes of blackberry, violet, and cocoa, this silky wine finishes with smooth tannins and a whisper of toasted oak. Robust and mouth-filling, with spicy nuances, smooth tannins, firm structure, and a long lingering finish.
97 Points
Lush and fleshy, with cassis, boysenberry, and blackberry notes guided by hints of alder and mesquite. Stays open but defined through the finish, with a buried hint of sweet tobacco. A rich, layered beast, this has a nose rife with currants, blackberries, vanilla, and light toast with flavors of mocha, plum, and Bing cherry that mingle harmoniously on the tongue.
97 Points
Rich dark fruit flavors of blackberry and cherry with notes of baking spices, licorice, coffee, and chocolate that interlace seamlessly with complexity, creating a wine that is both structured and delightfully supple, achieving an ideal balance of tension and grace. Artfully composed of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon with 17% Cabernet Franc, resulting in harmonious depth and freshness.
98 Points
Deep purple hue and an alluring aromatic profile of fresh blue fruits and delicate violets. On the palate, it delivers a seamless and layered texture, framed by supple, polished tannins and a refined sense of balance. Elegantly structured, it offers remarkable purity and finesse, finishing with graceful length and poise.
Gold Medal
Light pink in color with aromas of watermelon, cranberry, orange rind, and fresh spring flowers that leap from the glass. The palate offers more peach, strawberry, and melon, with an intriguing note of rose and hibiscus. It's crisp with just the perfect hint of red fruit, and delicate whisper of strawberry that gives goosebumps.
92 Points
Lofty aromas of ripe red fruits layered with notes of crushed violets, berry cobbler, cherry and creme brulee leading into crushed blackberry with cassis, mocha, leather, mineral, and baking spice. Its all encompassing and bold mouthfeel are outstanding, as deep tannins dance around the palate, finishing with flavors of blackberry, fig, and pipe tobacco.
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