92 Points - Connoisseurs' Guide
Best Vintage Yet - James Laube, Wine Spectator
"Very Good" - PinotFile
The Sonoma Mountain AVA is a small wine-growing region just south of Bennett Valley and just west of Sonoma Valley, but its topography is quite different, resulting in a very different growing season. Where Bennett Valley funnels in fog from the coast, keeping it quite cold, and Sonoma Valley offers Western exposed hills and flat vineyards, making it quite warm, Sonoma Mountain offers a variety of exposures and elevations, making it harder to generalize about the climate. While Cabernet does well at the warmer sites, Sonoma Mountain Pinot can be extremely exciting when planted in a cooler site. Today’s wine from Willowbrook Cellars is just such a wine, sourced from the Kaufman Vineyard, which is planted exclusively to Pinot Noir.
The 2009 Willowbrook Kaufman-Sunnyslope Vineyard Pinot Noir is medium ruby to garnet in color, with a nose marrying classic Pinot aromas of cherry and blackberry with floral and baking spice undertones that are a hallmark of this vineyard. The palate is smooth and layered with cherry and berry flavors held together by an underlying minerality, hinting at iron. Spicy and juicy, this wine is incredibly well balanced, with wonderful persistence on the palate. For those that think terroir is the key to Pinot Noir, this one is sure to delight, as it beautifully shows off the unique characteristics of this Sonoma Mountain Vineyard.
Vintage: 2009
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Kaufman Sunnyslope Vineyard
Appellation: Sonoma Mountain
Fermentation: French Oak
Alcohol: 14.4%
Inky, plush, and cellar-worthy
The nose is an aromatic riot—a decadent mashup of blackberry, black cherry, and plum swirled with whimsical notes of red licorice, vanilla, and cocoa. A savory dust of spice, cedar, and a gentle kiss of oak adds a sophisticated edge to this fruit-forward powerhouse.
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