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%
94 Points
Decadent, rich, and supple. Aromas of black cherry, dark chocolate, crushed stone, dried herbs, and cedar lead into layered notes of cassis, fennel, baked plums, mocha powder, and cigars dusted with roasted Herbs de Provence, earth and red volcanic mineral notes. Full-bodied and rich, with a firm spine of racy acidity and ultra-fine, gravelly tannins that carry the lasting, mouthwatering finish.
93 Points
Aromas of blackcurrant, dark plum, and cedar unfold alongside soft notes of vanilla and toasted oak. On the palate, structured tannins frame layers of black cherry, baking spice, and a subtle herbal lift from the Merlot blended beneath the Cabernet's backbone. Medium-bodied gem with good concentration finishing long and warm, with lingering impressions of cocoa and dried fig.
94 Points
A full-throttle, blackberry-driven red, laden with chalky minerality and layered with robust tannins. Violet scents mingle with fig and plum fruit in a medium- to full-bodied expression that hits all the right chords, delivering a pleasing one-two punch to the senses.
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