Sonoma Coast – Page 2 – Cristaldi & Co

2023

Tongue Dancer Wines

Pinot de Ville Pratt Vineyard-Sexton Road Pinot Noir

After tasting the Lakeview Vineyard Pinot Noir made from the La Tâche clone, I was floored to find the same level of quality and pedigree in this 100% Pinot Noir sourced from Jim Pratt’s Sexton Road Vineyard. Composed of clones 777 and 114 and aged for 16 months sur lie in French oak (20% new), this wine is bold and dark-fruited, with layers of cherry and fig preserves framed by a deeply floral character and forest underbrush nuances that complement its generous core of ripe fruit. Firm tannins provide structure, while a tapestry of brown baking spices wraps around every inch of fruit, culminating in a smoky clove finish. The depth, texture, and balance here make for an utterly delectable Sonoma Pinot. Bravo! James and Kerry MacPhail started Tongue Dancer as a personal brand in 2012. All of their wines are produced in their winery built (in 2008) on their 1-acre property in Healdsburg.

Red

2024

Chalk Hill

Chardonnay

The Sonoma Coast Chardonnay from Chalk Hill is sourced from a mix of sites—Wobkin, Ramal, Chalk Ridge, Rail Road, and additional Russian River Valley vineyards. The fruit is whole-cluster pressed, cold settled, and fermented in French oak with full malolactic fermentation and lees stirring. It is aged 8–10 months in 23% new French oak. The wine offers a heady mix of yellow apple, grilled pineapple, lemon curd, and white peach, all laced with vanilla and well-integrated buttery, toasty oak. Brown baking spices add warmth, while generous, juicy acidity underscores the wine’s plush character and delivers a freshness that’s hard to beat. A decadent wine—yet balanced by its brightness.

White

2024

Kosta Browne

Lot #46. 'Terra & Tempus' Pinot Noir

TASTING NOTE: Lot #46. Barrel Sample: Although neither Dan Kosta nor Michael Browne has anything to do with this wine anymore, you can keep telling yourself they do—if that helps justify drinking this entire auction lot yourself (which I highly recommend). The winemaker today is Julien Howsepian, who may hate describing wines in tasting note videos, but makes damn good wine you will want to describe to your Friday night poker buddies—or whatever club you belong to on Friday nights. Sourced from 5 Wells Vineyard (Clone 943), Gap’s Crown (Swan clone, all concrete), and Thorn Ridge (Clone 115, submerged cap ferment in concrete). Aged in two-thirds light-toast new French oak. Aromatics are all early summer berries, rose petals, and brown baking spice, with firm, mineral-rich tannins and impressive length. From the Auction Lot Catalog: ABOUT THE WINE: “Terra & Tempus” pays homage to the land and the passage of time, capturing the essence of a singular harvest. A bespoke Pinot Noir, it unites the elegance of the Russian River Valley and the coastal influence of the Sonoma Coast, offering a seamless interplay of fruit, earth, and structure. It is a true reflection of its origins. At its heart, this singular Pinot Noir celebrates the balance of strength and finesse, a testament to both its vineyard sources and Kosta Browne’s winemaking artistry. Crafted in limited quantities and available exclusively through the Sonoma County Barrel Auction, “Terra & Tempus” is a one-of-a-kind expression-never to be replicated. Winemaker Julien Howsepian set out to craft a wine that tells the story of the 2024 vintage, a year defined by a dynamic growing season, where warmth and cool coastal breezes worked in harmony to shape expressive, layered fruit. Notes of wild berries, forest floor, and delicate spice emerge, framed by refined acidity and silky tannins, ensuring a wine that captivates now and will evolve beautifully over time. WINEMAKER(S): Julien Howsepian ESTIMATED BOTTLING DATE: February 2026 ESTIMATED SHIPPING DATE: May 2026 National Distribution: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY, Washington, DC International Distribution: Includes Canada, Denmark, Japan; please inquire for additional countries.

Red

2024

Marine Layer

Sonoma Mountain Picpoul

Lime-bright with crushed Marcona almonds and a hint of tarragon, this wine builds with laser-focused intensity and mouthwatering salinity that drives the long finish. Pristinely dry and precise, it’s carried by exacting mineral tension. At just 12.8% alcohol, you could drink it all day and all night, though it really demands a multi-course meal—one it will elevate regardless of the chef.

White

2024

Salty Goats

Salty Goats Coastline Project Pinot Noir

This Coastline Project Pinot Noir is a dark-fruited powerhouse, showcasing the ripe, soaring tannins characteristic of fruit grown in the extreme coastal zones of the Sonoma Coast. It bursts with dark cherry and plum fruit, framed by red apple-skin tannins and mineral nuances that shine through the dark core—wet river stone, slate, and a touch of violet. On the palate, subtle blue fruit tones emerge beneath the grip of those firm tannins, adding depth and intrigue. I’m inclined to think these 2024s will age longer than the dazzling 2023s; there’s more heft and power here, making it worth holding until at least 2026 before pulling a cork. Sourced from organically farmed vineyards along the West Sonoma Coast and Sonoma Coast AVA—including McDougall Ranch and Kings Ridge (Fort Ross–Seaview), Fociñni (Petaluma Gap), and Lucky Well (Occidental)—this wine blends clones 114, Calera, Schoolhouse, Pommard, and La Tâche. With 30% whole-cluster fermentation in stainless steel using native yeasts and native malolactic conversion, the wine spent 15 days on the skins. Salty Goats is passion of Nickel & Nickel’s Joe Harden and Phil Holbrook (who were mentored by Thomas Rivers Brown). The wines are made at TRB’s Mending Wall facility, sourcing grapes from organically farmed vineyards on the West Sonoma Coast and in Napa Valley.

Red

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2023

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A straightforward Chardonnay sourced from three vineyards spanning from just south of the Russian River to the Petaluma Gap. Picked on the early side, it was barrel-fermented and aged 10 months in 14% new French oak. The wine underwent full malolactic fermentation, resulting in a soft, rounded expression of Chardonnay that still retains a bit of bite—thanks to what feels like apple or pear skin tannins. Layers of lemon, lemon curd, quince, and candied ginger unfold on the palate, accented by hints of buttered croissant drizzled with acacia honey. Bone dry and slightly tart on the finish. Produced by a small, family-run winery with a mostly Pinot-driven portfolio made at their winery and tasting room in downtown Petaluma.

White

2023

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This Sangiacomo Vineyard Pinot Noir is a spectacular wine, offering beautifully subtle red berry fruit—cherry and raspberry—interwoven with elegant cedarwood smoke and clove. Light to medium-bodied, it unfolds with layers of juicy red fruit, exotic Asian spice, and a sweet-salty minerality that adds both tension and allure. Graceful yet vibrant, it’s the kind of wine that’s nearly impossible to put down.

Red

2023

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A full-flavored, medium- to full-bodied Pinot Noir showing firm tannins and abundant richness. Layers of cherry and blackberry fruit mingle with spiced plum, elegant cherry wood smoke, and clove, all carried through a lengthy finish defined by saline acidity and refined balance. Founded in 2010 by David Warren Hejl, former CEO of Kosta Browne and Martinelli Winery & Vineyards, Domaine Della crafts limited-production Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from select Sonoma County vineyards.

Red

2023

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This 100% Chardonnay was sourced from Flowers’ coastal estate, Camp Meeting Ridge, along with several other family-owned vineyards in the Sonoma Coast. Aged for 10 months in 18% new French oak. This is a gentle giant of a Chardonnay, opening with delicate aromatics of lemon oil, Marcona almonds, pressed white florals, and a hint of honeycomb, before building terrific intensity on the palate with laser-focused acidity. The flavors show both breadth and depth—beguiling and persistent—balanced by stony minerality, pressed wildflowers, and crunchy apple, followed by richer yet slightly underripe pineapple notes. It finishes with a long, saline-driven acidity. A great wine—just get some. Helmed by longtime winemaker, Chantal Forthun, Flowers produces a limited amount of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from estate vineyards on the edge of the Pacific in addition to their signature wines from the Sonoma Coast.

White

2023

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The Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is sourced from Flowers’ organically farmed estate vineyard, Sea View Ridge, along with several family-owned vineyards that share their farming philosophy and commitment to expressing the purity of these coastal sites. Aged in 20% new French oak, it’s an absolutely delicious wine—full of red currant and red cherry fruit, cherry smoke, incense, and a hint of espresso bean. A creamy richness broadens the mid-palate, supported by beams of structured tannins with a subtle apple-skin grip, resolving beautifully with Earl Grey tea notes and violet florality. So expressive and fun to drink. Helmed by longtime winemaker, Chantal Forthun, Flowers produces a limited amount of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from estate vineyards on the edge of the Pacific in addition to their signature wines from the Sonoma Coast.

Red

2023

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Sourced from Calesa Vineyard, a Petaluma Gap site perched on a high plateau with northwest-facing slopes and soils flecked with gravel and quartz. This is quite pretty — a flinty, mineral-driven wine interwoven with citrus peel and salinity, elegant cedarwood spice, and a cool acid crunch. Ripe yellow apple and pear join crushed Marcona almonds, a hint of vanilla, and good phenolic grip. Clone Dijon 76 — fragrant and laser-focused. Just gorgeous. Venge and team produce only about 150 cases of this barrel-fermented Chardonnay, made with native yeast and native malo, aged 15 months in 40% new French oak. All night-picked, whole-cluster pressed, given a two-day settle, then treated with a small sulfur adjustment before native-yeast fermentation. Some lots underwent native malolactic fermentation. Bâtonnage starts with more frequent stirring and tapers off as the wines age. Bottled unfiltered and unfined.

White

2023

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A friend in the tasting room remarked that this is the kind of wine you’d expect to see poured by the glass at a Michelin three-star like Single Thread. It has a liqueurous, wonderfully rich texture—extremely deep and penetrating on the mid-palate—with uber-ripe pear and apple fruit, almost like poached pear, accented by white florals, crushed almonds, sea salt, and chalky mineral tension. The length is extraordinary—stretching from the tasting room in Healdsburg clear down to the Golden Gate Bridge—and along the way you experience the landscape itself: rolling hills of orchard fruit, wind, fog, and sunshine, all encapsulated in the glass. Try as you might, you will finish this bottle. Sources include vineyards in the Green Valley and Petaluma Gap sub-AVAs, along with Marine Layer Vineyard in the Sebastopol Hills. Native fermentation; 100% malolactic; gentle lees stirring once per month. Aged 11 months, unfined and lightly filtered.

White

2023

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This 100% Chardonnay was aged for 10 months in 17% new Burgundian French oak barrels. A timeless, reliable classic—not just in reputation but in quality—this wine perfectly captures the balance of California richness and coastal brightness. It’s lemony and plush, with buttered brioche notes and a creamy, mouth-filling mid-palate that’s hard to resist, finishing with warm brown spices and lingering lemon oil accents. James Hall of Patz & Hall has over 35 years of experience working with some of California’s most acclaimed grape growers, focusing on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

White

2023

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Fermented and aged in stainless steel with just a touch of malolactic fermentation, this Chardonnay is sourced from both the Russian River Valley and West Sonoma Coast. It’s crisp and clean, with bright citrus, apricot, and pear layered with hints of honeycomb and wildflowers. Medium-bodied, with excellent length, focused fruit, and a saline-mineral tension.

White

2023

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Sourced from eight distinct vineyards across the expansive Sonoma Coast—from Annapolis in the north to Occidental in the west and down to the southern tip of the Petaluma Gap—this Pinot Noir includes fruit from standout sites such as Gap’s Crown, Sangiacomo, Walala, and Dorothy Cameron Vineyards. A blend of clones 115, 828, 667, Pommard, and Swan, the grapes were destemmed, fermented in open-top tanks, and aged in 50% new French oak. The result is a spectacular Pinot Noir, richly endowed with bold, juicy dark cherry, plum, and blackberry fruit accented by paprika spice on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied and boldly tannic, it reveals layers of clove, allspice, blood orange, and toasty cedarwood, culminating in a dark, muscular, and impressively structured finish. Founded in 2001 by two friends with a common love of Burgundy wines, Sojourn specializes in hand-crafted Pinot Noir, while also producing Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Rosé and Sparkling wines. Winemaking duties are headed by Erich Bradley.

Red

2023

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The most polished of the Sojourn Cellars Pinot Noirs I tasted in October 2025, this is a powerful yet graceful expression of Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. Ripe cherry, juicy cranberry, and orange-citrus fruit form the core, layered with exotic Asian spices and fine-grained, beautifully polished tannins. Crisp acidity drives the wine toward a spicy finish laced with smoked paprika and clove. It’s complex, intriguing, and downright irresistible—the kind of wine you want to crush at the end of the night. Planted in 2000 under the direction of Mark Aubert and Peter Michael Winery, there are three Pinot clones used: Calera and two distinct “suitcase” selections from the Vosne-Romanée region of Burgundy. Take from that what you will—it’s unquestionably a stellar expression of Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. Founded in 2001 by two friends with a common love of Burgundy wines, Sojourn specializes in hand-crafted Pinot Noir, while also producing Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Rosé and Sparkling wines. Winemaking duties are headed by Erich Bradley.

Red

2023

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Riddle Vineyard lies in the Green Valley region within the Sonoma Coast AVA, near the town of Occidental. Perched on a ridgeline, the site overlooks many of the region’s most iconic vineyards. Planted in 2008 at high density on Goldridge soils, the grapes are destemmed, fermented in open-top tanks, and aged in 50% new French oak. The resulting wine is boldly expressive, sitting on the darker end of the red-fruited spectrum—dried cherry and rose petal mingle with bouquet garni, brown baking spices, and clove. It builds in intensity and creamy richness through the finish. Founded in 2001 by two friends with a common love of Burgundy wines, Sojourn specializes in hand-crafted Pinot Noir, while also producing Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Rosé and Sparkling wines. Winemaking duties are headed by Erich Bradley.

Red

2023

Producer

Name

This 100% Chardonnay from Durell Vineyard—crafted from Wente and Hyde clones—was aged for 14 months in 100% French oak, 21% new. Just 665 cases were produced. The wine exudes poise and elegance, balancing opulent flavors of ripe citrus, lemon oil, white acacia flowers, and crushed almonds with subtle toasty oak spice. Crisp acidity and bright apple-skin tannins bring lift and precision, resulting in a beautifully harmonious and striking white wine from this exceptional vineyard. Three Sticks Wines is a boutique, family-owned winery recognized for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Proprietor Bill Price III (nicknamed “Billy Three Sticks”) owns six vineyards in Sonoma County (including three Heritage vineyards: Durell, Gap’s Crown, and Walala).

White

2023

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This is one masterful creation. We all know Gap’s Crown produces some of Sonoma’s most storied Pinot Noirs, but Three Sticks’ *Gap’s Pinnacle* takes it to another level entirely. It’s such a complete wine—seamless, seductive, and utterly captivating from bouquet to finish. Crafted from 100% Pinot Noir sourced from the most coveted blocks of Gap’s Crown Vineyard, the blend includes clones 667, 828, 115, Swan, and 943, aged for 15 months in 100% French oak, 48% new. Just 300 cases were produced. The wine overflows with bright red cherry and blackberry fruit, a creamy, layered core of succulent richness, and supple yet firm tannins balanced by graceful acidity. The finish lingers with baking spice notes of white pepper, clove, and mild Indian spice. If you can get your hands on a bottle, consider yourself lucky. Three Sticks Wines is a boutique, family-owned winery recognized for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Proprietor Bill Price III (nicknamed “Billy Three Sticks”) owns six vineyards in Sonoma County (including three Heritage vineyards: Durell, Gap’s Crown, and Walala).

Cristaldi Scores

Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

Tongue Dancer Wines

Pinot de Ville Pratt Vineyard-Sexton Road Pinot Noir

Chalk Hill

Chardonnay

Kosta Browne

Lot #46. 'Terra & Tempus' Pinot Noir

Marine Layer

Sonoma Mountain Picpoul

Salty Goats

Salty Goats Coastline Project Pinot Noir

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