100% Pinot Noir – Page 4

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2022

Saxon Brown

Ferrington Vineyard Pinot Noir

Swan, 777, 415 and 828 clones are all co-fermented here, and it’s off to the races. Ferrington has two distinct sections: an older, virus-affected block, and newer plantings of Pommard and 828. The wine shows more mid-palate weight and generosity, with dark berry fruit, fig notes, black tea and loamy earth. A building richness is neatly framed by a cool freshness from the firm acid backbone, with lingering brown baking spices on the finish. Energetic, layered and delicious.

Red

2022

Saxon Brown

Fighting Brothers Pinot Noir

Fighting Brothers indicates a multi-vineyard blend; in this case it’s Durell, Gap’s Crown, and Roberts Road. Gaffner’s Pinot Noir approach is consistent across sites: he starts with a cold soak and works in pumpovers and punchdowns before alcohol rises, as he believes ABV acts as a solvent. Early extraction builds color, tannin, and esters, and once fermentation is underway he backs off. After fermentation and cold stabilization, the wine goes to barrel for about 16 months with 40% new French oak. The method precipitates out harsher tannins and preserves the finer elements, resulting in wonderfully precise, soft, velvety tannins that frame ripe dark-berry fruit. A cool, refreshing edge runs through the wine, along with underbrush nuances and warm baking spices on a lengthy finish.

Red

2022

Saxon Brown

Gap's Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir

Sourced from two sections of Gap’s Crown—one higher on the slope and one lower in elevation. Incredibly floral and bright, with red berry fruit, rich baking spices and cherry pie notes. Medium-bodied on the palate yet delivering impressive depth of flavor, with a saline-acid brightness that feels both enticing and sumptuous. Totally captivating—you can’t help but finish the entire bottle in one sitting.

Red

2022

Saxon Brown

Garys' Vineyard Pinot Noir

From the Garys’ Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands comes this ripe-cherry-fruited, vanilla-laced, cedarwood-spiced Pinot Noir, bending around rich espresso-bean nuances and supple tannins. A plump, creamy mid-palate is lifted by zesty blood-orange acidity, leading to a lingering finish of warm Indian spice and vanilla-bean cream. Sumptuously refined.

Red

2022

Saxon Brown

Roberts Road Pinot Noir

Gorgeously woody and deeply sumptuous on the palate. Creamy in texture yet bolstered by crisp apple-skin tannins, with an expressive salinity running through the core. Layers of sumptuous brown spices unfold alongside graham cracker crust on the finish.

Red

2022

Seagrape Wine Co.

Hibbit's Ranch Pinot Noir

A very pretty and elegant red-fruited Pinot Noir, this wine opens with fragrant aromas of baking spices, espresso bean, clove, and a delicate touch of coriander. Juicy blood orange acidity brings lift and vibrancy, framing a lengthy, nuanced finish marked by pink sea salt and gentle, well-integrated tannins.

Red

2022

The Setting Wines

Chehalem Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir

The Chehalem Mountain Vineyard, near the top of the Chehalem Mountain AVA, sits at 400 feet and is planted mostly on volcanic soils. No whole cluster here, but plenty of tannin comes from a one-third saignée bleed, which concentrates the skin-to-juice ratio. This wine has a good amount of grip, showcasing the firm tannins that come from grapes grown on this steep hillside. There’s marionberry and crunchy farmers’ market–ripe red fruit, layered with richer volcanic mineral character, lovely caramel and clove-spice notes, and an overall fragrance that’s both sumptuous and inviting.

Red

2022

The Setting Wines

Eola Springs Vineyard Pinot Noir

From the Eola Springs Vineyard in Oregon. Aged 18 months in 50% new French oak. No whole cluster here, but plenty of tannin comes from a one-third saignée bleed, which concentrates the skin-to-juice ratio. Jesse Katz likes the skin tannin this site delivers, and the technique helps those tannins stick. The wine is vivid, offering crunchy red fruit and conifer notes — that bright pine-forest character that’s so enticing from this area. The spice on the palate is lavish and rich, with smoked paprika and warm brown-baking-spice accents wrapped around ripe cherry fruit. The tannins are smooth and velvety, incredibly rich and flavorful, with a freshness factor that’s hard to beat.

Red

2022

Valette

Browne Pinot Noir by Michael Browne

Dustin Valette has known Michael Browne since his days at John Ash & Co., and when they launched this project it became a genuinely special collaboration for the two of them. This is the first wine they’ve made together. The Pinot Noir is supple, round, and sumptuous, with wonderfully plump tannins and smooth, silky mixed berry fruit, layered with fragrant cocoa powder, dried violets, and rose petals. A rich saline minerality emerges on the medium-bodied finish and seems to linger effortlessly. The intensity of the wine is very much Michael Browne in character, yet it retains admirable energy and drive.

Red

2022

Valette

Bush Crispo Vineyard Pinot Noir by Bob Cabral

Entirely from Bush Crispo, crafted by Bob Cabral. Crushed cherry and cherry compote lead the way, followed by unsweetened chocolate and darker forest floor notes, with nuances of crushed cocoa nibs. The palate is intense, showing Rooibos tea notes and an almost meaty, iron-like mineral character, supported by integrated cedarwood and a spicy white pepper lift from some whole-cluster inclusion. Serve this with steak au poivre.

Red

2022

Valette

Pinot Noir by Bob Cabral

This is crafted by Bob Cabral. Super-fragrant from the outset, with rose petal and rose stem notes, dark cherry, and dark slate, lifted by white pepper spice and fresh redwood forest nuances. Black tea notes support the super-dark, juicy, ripe fruit and macerated cherry character. Hints of tangerine peel and crushed cocoa nibs add detail, all carried by a velvety texture and impressive length.

Red

2022

Vignerons

Pinot Noir

This is a silky, easy-drinking Pinot Noir brimming with bright red fruit and lifted spice. Velvety in texture, it glides across the palate with notes of espresso bean, clove, and a subtle hint of coriander cream lingering through the finish.

Red

2022

Woodenhead

Pinot Noir

The 2022 Woodenhead Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley is unfined and unfiltered, revealing a savory, spice-driven expression of Pinot Noir redolent of cherry fruit wrapped in eucalyptus leaves, with Earl Grey tea nuances framing the medium-bodied palate. Black tea–like tannins add structure, leading to a punctuated, lingering finish. Those savory elements are beautifully integrated and make this an ideal pairing for herb-dusted pork loin, spare ribs, or grilled branzino. Enjoy now through 2029.

Red

2023

Argot

Kanzler Vineyard Pinot Noir

From the renowned Kanzler Vineyard, the 2023 Pinot Noir bursts with vivid freshness and tension, offering bright notes of ruby red grapefruit, blood orange, and savory sage. Aromatics of anise, mint, rose petal, and rose stem lend complexity and lift, while crisp, woody tannins provide structure. Juicy, spicy acidity laced with saline and pine forest character underscores the wine’s impeccable grip and precision. Compared to the softer, more supple 2022 vintage, the 2023 is taut and energetic, built for longevity. Enjoy the generosity of the 2022s now—by the boatload—while the 2023s continue to evolve toward their full potential.

Red

2023

Argot

Pinot Noir

This wine bangs hard — In a great way! Sourced from both hillside and valley floor vineyards within the Sonoma Mountain AVA, this wine showcases striking vitality and spice-driven aromatics. The nose is bold and expressive, with notes of blood orange, grapefruit zest, fragrant pine forest, and wild underbrush. Medium-bodied on the palate, it unfolds with vibrant citrus tones and firm yet elongated velvety tannins. Rose petal lifts the lengthy, perfumed finish. Grapes were destemmed, then cluster- and berry-sorted before undergoing a seven-day cold soak in stainless steel with inactive yeasts naturally propagating. Fermentation began spontaneously as the must warmed, driven entirely by native yeasts. Following fermentation, precise press cuts separated free-run and press juice before barreling. The wine was aged for 16 months in 87% new French oak, resulting in a complex, richly textured expression of Sonoma Mountain fruit.

Red

2023

B Cellars

Calesa Vineyard Pinot Noir

Sourced from Calesa Vineyard, a Petaluma Gap site perched on a high plateau with northwest-facing slopes and soils flecked with gravel and quartz. The nose is absolutely gorgeous — dark cherry fruit, warm brown baking spices, a hint of soy, black truffle, and velvety tannins, with a touch of sea-salt savor. The palate shows impressive depth: grapefruit peel, black sea salt, a broad, velvety texture, and a refined, seamless expression. Terrific grip and tension, yet still lush and inviting. Super cool — this one will fire you up.

Red

2023

B Cellars

Manzana Vineyard Pinot Noir

From Manzana Vineyard, planted to Clones 777 and 828, and blended together. The site sits off Occidental Road, a hillside parcel close to Kanzler. The nose is elegant and expressive — cherry fruit, sagebrush, bay laurel — like walking in a cool Redwood grove — all building into medium richness with sweet baking spices woven around dark cherry and raspberry. Medium-bodied, with velvety tannins and a touch of cola root, plus lovely ironstone and earthy minerality and a hint of black-truffle charcuterie on the finish. Bâtonnage begins with more frequent stirring and gradually tapers off, after which the wine is racked into roughly 35–45% new French oak for 15 months. Bottled unfiltered and unfined.

Red

2023

B Cellars

Nightwing Vineyard Pinot Noir

Nightwing is super silky and luscious, built around a core of dark berry fruit and rich brown baking spices. The palate is wonderfully broad — velvety and silky at the same time — filling in all the gaps and finishing with a fabulous, laser-like line of complexity. It’s classic Venge style: hitting all the broad-palate markers yet finishing with lift, lightness, and brightness.

Red

2023

Benmar

Above the Clouds Pinot Noir

A darker‑styled Pinot Noir from this producer, the 2023 Above the Clouds from Benmar opens with the juicy richness of black cherry and black raspberry, warmed by cedarwood spice and enlivened by tangerine peel and grapefruit zest. The nose deepens with crushed raspberry, wild cherry and pomegranate, offset by wild herbs, rose petal and forest‑floor. On the palate, sinewy, crisp tannins support a saline‑tinged core that pulses with redcurrant, cranberry and strawberry fruit. Intense minerality and a whisper of black tea anchor the mid‑palate, while the finish drifts into cocoa‑powder, conifer and lingering brine—a hauntingly savory, vibrant expression of high‑elevation Willamette Pinot.

Red

2023

Blue Farm

Anne Katherina Pinot Noir

Anne Moller-Racke planted this vineyard with the intention of making one wine — and she produces just over 300 cases of this estate bottling. Clone 115 brings lift and perfume, Swan Clone contributes texture, and Clone 667 layers in tannin and structure. The site itself is flat, and the wine’s dimension comes from the interplay of these clones. It sits on an old riverbed with abundant gravel, and that drainage, Moller-Racke says, gives the wine its added structure and tannic frame. The wine is dense and powerful, with ripe cherry and strawberry fruit that’s very pure and beautifully delineated. A mineral intensity runs straight through it, and the tannins are crisp and robust, building across the floral and earthy finish. Quite a wine.

Red

2023

Blue Farm

Farmhouse Pinot Noir

The Farmhouse Estate Pinot lifts from the glass with a fragrant wet-slate character, followed by cherry and raspberry fruit. Firm tannins anchor a deep mineral core redolent of iron and salt, while dried thyme and rosemary add intrigue. A subtle sappy quality threads through the palate, making the wine quietly thought-provoking. The finish is spicy and insistent — the kind that makes you pause and wonder what’s going on in the glass, in the world, in your own life. And honestly? That’s a fine way to spend an evening, especially with a glass of this nearby.

Red

2023

Blue Farm

Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir

Gap’s Crown is fermented in stainless steel and aged in up to 50% new French oak for as long as 17 months. Anne Moller-Racke buys from two blocks: Block 13, planted to Clone 777 on the lower, gravelly portion of the site where it’s cooler with some clay and dense spacing, and the vines are now over 20 years old; and Block 8, planted to Clone 667 at a higher elevation in a smaller parcel. There are wonderfully cool aromas coming off this wine — bright cherry, cranberry, and a white-plum note, with a touch of white pepper spice. The palate is quite delicious, packed with juicy dark berry fruit, Asian spices, clove, and cocoa powder, framed by crisp tannins. It carries real generosity and elegance, all supported by a powerful framework and some lingering cedarwood spice. Super youthful now, and poised to deliver beautifully over the next 5–15 years.

Red

2023

Blue Farm

King Ridge Pinot Noir

This site sits at 1,000 feet of elevation, across from the Failla Vineyard, with vines rooted in Goldridge soils. The wine is incredibly beautiful — the aromatics are gorgeous, with dark blackberry and plum, plus flashes of blue fruit. It’s immensely generous. Made from two clones, Bacigalupi and the Hyde/Calera selection, it shows brilliant lift and clarity. On the palate, there’s great wet-slate minerality, fragrant cocoa-nib notes, and a real saline–acid freshness. All that ripe, juicy, complex fruit stains the palate and drives into a full-bodied finish with exacting, building tannins. Super intensity.

Red

2023

Blue Farm

Laceroni Pinot Noir

From Laceroni Vineyard—situated in the far-southwestern reaches of the Russian River Valley near Graton and spanning roughly 45 acres on classic, well-draining Goldridge sandy loam—comes a more structured and grippier expression of RRV Pinot Noir. The site’s softly rolling hills and coastal influence help produce fruit of refined ripeness: crisp, crunchy and beautifully poised. That energy carries straight onto the palate, where apple-skin tannins and notable textural grip give the wine tension and shape. Subtle brown baking spices and flinty wet-stone minerality add further dimension, supporting the elegant red-berry profile without overwhelming it. Quite a lovely wine with genuine cellar-worthy capability.

Red

2023

Blue Farm

Pinot Noir

What a wonderfully pure Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, bursting with juicy, ripe red cherry, cranberry and strawberry fruit. It leans into cherry compote and warm baking spices, yet all that lush, creamy Russian River fruit is kept beautifully in check by cool acid tension. Textural grip—like biting into a ripe red apple and feeling the pull of the skin—adds dimension, underscored by slick espresso-bean oil, blood-orange or tangerine peel and a touch of smoky, flinty minerality. Super complex and inviting.

Red

2023

Blue Farm

Pinot Noir

Anne Moller-Racke was the vineyard manager at Chateau Buena Vista from the early 1980s until 2001, when she helped establish Donum and remained there until 2019. During that time, she planted the Anne Katherina Vineyard in Carneros and, in 2013, began producing wine under her own label, Blue Farm. Total production is around 2,500 cases. The Sonoma Coast bottling is a blend of Anne’s vineyard sources and is poured mainly by the glass in local restaurants. She self-distributes in California. Once the fruit arrives at the winery, it’s sorted, given a light saignée, then cold-soaked for 3–5 days. As the must warms, fermentation kicks off in tank at cool temperatures for up to 19 days. Once dry, it’s pressed, and only the free run is used. The wine is aged in one-third new French oak for up to 17 months. This Pinot Noir is a bit coiled and very youthful, showing crunchy red berry fruit, chalky minerality, and a real earthiness—perhaps from the Wadenswil clone. Black tea–like tannins frame the palate as darker fruit emerges on the mid-palate and finish. There’s plenty of tension and freshness throughout.

Red

2023

Blue Farm

Riverbed Pinot Noir

Meanwhile, the Riverbed Estate wine — also in Carneros, near the Farmhouse Estate — boasts a similar wet-slate freshness, mineral drive, and red-berry lift, only here the textures are more supple, the generosity greater, and the tannins noticeably gentler. The dried-herb nuances give way to forest-floor and pine-forest tones, creating a quieter, earthier complexity. The finish caresses the mid-palate with a softer core, yet still carries a bright, spicy snap that keeps the wine lively and engaging.

Red

2023

Blue Farm

White Pinot

Fresh and zesty, with a touch of grape-skin tannin and an intriguing, heady mix of white Rainier cherry, apricot and white peach, accented by subtle almond undertones. There’s also a gentle pop of tarragon or wild fennel and a super-salty core of crunchy orchard fruit and dried white-floral notes. Exotic, enticing and genuinely fun to drink. I’d pair this with a selection of farmers’ market hard cheeses and charcuterie.

White

2023

Blue Farm

Zio Tony Pinot Noir

From the Zio Tony Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. A combination of the Elite Clone selection and Clone 667 planted on Goldridge soils, which impart naturally low pH and help the wines retain their freshness. Anne Moller-Racke believes the Elite Clone, in particular, holds its natural acidity beautifully — and this wine proves the point. This is an acid-driven Pinot Noir with a sea-spray minerality on the nose, ripe red berry fruit, warm baking spices, and a touch of strawberry compote mingling with elegant cedarwood spice. Very dry, focused, and precise — not the typical lush RRV style, but a more linear, tension-filled expression.

Red

2023

Brooks Note Winery

Panther Ridge Pinot Noir

This Pinot Noir is sourced from the biodynamically farmed and organically certified Panther Ridge Vineyard, perched at 900 feet on Sonoma Mountain. The grapes were fermented with 15% whole clusters and aged 10 months in 20% new French oak. The resulting wine shows excellent tension and energy, with a focused personality and subtle dark berry fruit framed by crunchy pomegranate-seed tannins. Notes of blood orange, allspice, and tangerine peel carry through a lively, gently spiced finish. Produced by a small, family-run winery with a mostly Pinot-driven portfolio made at their winery and tasting room in downtown Petaluma.

Red

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Vintage

Wine

Type

Color

Rating

$

2022

Producer

Name

Ripe red cherry fruit, pleasant cedarwood, and a touch of vanilla rise from the glass, reappearing on the medium-bodied palate where tart cherry and tangy blood-orange acidity sweep across with vibrant energy. The finish carries a wave of warm brown baking spices and stony minerality, adding both depth and precision. Winemaker Simone Sequeira ages this wine for 14 months in 20% new French oak. Founded in 2006 by Dennis Patton and Andrea Silverstein, DNA Vineyards estate is located in the Laguna Ridge neighborhood of the Russian River Valley.

Red

2022

Producer

Name

From the “Heritage Block” of the estate’s Vineyard Eleven comes this native-yeast-fermented Pinot Noir, a blend of Mt. Eden and Swan clones. Aged 11.5 months in 35% new French oak barrels, it offers refined aromatics of candied red berry fruit, warm baking spices of clove and cinnamon, and subtle undertones of black truffle and redwood bark. The palate is framed by fine, savory tannins that guide the wine to a smooth, medium-bodied finish. The Mt. Eden Clone layers in a bit of energy and tension. Domaine de la Rivière is a family-owned winery nestled in the renowned Middle Reach neighborhood of the Russian River Valley. Growers since 2011, they released their first vintage in 2017.

Red

2022

Producer

Name

Fuller and broader than the Heritage Block Pinot Noir, this wine shows impressive depth and presence. Darker berry fruit takes the lead, supported by bright saline acidity that provides tension and lift. The mid-palate is sumptuous and succulent, with cinnamon-spiced tannins and a beautifully integrated sweet-savory-salty finish. Among the Domaine de la Rivière wines tasted during my visit with Sonoma County Vintners, this was a clear standout—one that was hard to move on from. Sourced from the “Red Barn Block” of the estate’s Vineyard Eleven, this Pinot Noir was fermented with native yeast and composed of 47% Pommard, 40% UV-VR, and 13% Swan clones. It was aged 11.5 months in 37% new French oak barrels. The steeply sloped site features a mix of gravel, sandy loam, and clay soils. Domaine de la Rivière is a family-owned winery nestled in the renowned Middle Reach neighborhood of the Russian River Valley. Growers since 2011, they released their first vintage in 2017.

Red

2022

Producer

Name

The Two Forces Pinot Noir is sourced from both the estate’s Vineyard Eleven site and the high-elevation El Diablo Vineyard. Fermented with native yeast, the blend comprises 74% Pommard (54% from the estate) and 26% Swan Clone (100% estate fruit). The wine was aged 11.5 months in 37% new French oak barrels. Perhaps the most complete of the five Domaine de la Rivière wines tasted, this Pinot Noir reveals a quiet intensity that deepens with each sip. It opens with notes of cherry fruit and white pepper, followed by a medium-bodied palate framed by stony mineral tension and fine, apple-skin tannins. A solidly built and thoroughly delicious wine. Domaine de la Rivière is a family-owned winery nestled in the renowned Middle Reach neighborhood of the Russian River Valley. Growers since 2011, they released their first vintage in 2017.

Red

2022

Producer

Name

Bright cherry and cedar-wood notes emerge from the glass, along with a wild kind of savage herb quality that is all at once smoky and mineral. This red’s flavors turn to sweet berry fruit on the medium bodied palate, finalizing into a long, spicy, smoked paprika finish. Founded in 2010 by David Warren Hejl, former CEO of Kosta Browne and Martinelli Winery & Vineyards, Domaine Della produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Sonoma County.

Red

2022

Producer

Name

Leaping from the glass are heady aromas of sweet and savory spice—cinnamon, clove, incense, and allspice—intertwined with black cherry fruit dusted in cinnamon and a zing of grapefruit zest. On the palate, sinewy tannins and electric, crunchy acidity create a tingling sensation at the front, while that rich spice character continues to flood the olfactory senses. It’s wildly aromatic and deeply spiced—a wine that practically demands two bottles: one for the glass, and one for cooking. It will enhance rich sauces and braised meats with wonderful spice character.

Red

2022

Producer

Name

Docker Hill owners Karson and Bill Aubuchon planted their vineyard in 2010 (to Heritage and Dijon clones), and several spots sit above the fog line and are cooler and longer ripening as a result. After aging 17 months in 45% new French oak, this Pinot Noir shows fantastic notes of rhubarb, boysenberry, brambly herbs, violets, and sandalwood. In the mouth, it takes a somewhat darker tone, showing ripe blackberry fruit flavors in intense waves, each topped with earthy truffle notes. It will age very, very well, though it is awfully difficult to refuse now. – J.R.

Red

2022

Producer

Name

Leads with boysenberry, and quickly reveals dark tea, dark berries, dark spices, and a dark disposition. The palate is surprisingly structured, with a long finish of sweet, ripe wild blueberries (both fresh and dried). Delicious. – J.R.

Red

2022

Producer

Name

The El Ray Vineyard sits on the western edge of Santa Barbara County, perched on a hillside overlooking the historic La Purisima Mission lands. From this site comes a beautifully balanced Pinot Noir that delivers a quintessential expression of the region. Bright cherry fruit is infused with warm brown baking spices, supported by fine-grained yet robust tannins. Juicy, crunchy acidity with a saline edge underscores the wine’s structure, giving it lift, precision, and a mouthwatering finish.

Red

2022

Producer

Name

This 100% Pinot Noir, a suitcase clone known as “Elite,” comes from the Hallberg Ranch Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. Aged eleven months in 25% new French oak, it is bottled unfined and unfiltered. Like all Emeritus Vineyards wines, it carries a firm tannic backbone and benefits from a bit of aeration. The Elite lives up to its name—elegant, poised, and expressive without being showy. It offers gentle red-fruited refinement accented by mild Indian spice, creating a subtle aromatic allure. The palate is lively and nuanced, driven by wet-slate minerality and bright blood-orange acidity. Founded by Brice Cutrer Jones in 1999, Emeritus Vineyards is a Pinot-focused producer utilizing dry-farmed vineyards (Hallberg Ranch in the Russian River Valley and Pinot Hill on the Sonoma Coast).

Red

2022

Producer

Name

This 100% Pinot Noir from the Hallberg Ranch Vineyard in the Russian River Valley blends eleven clones—115, 777, 37, 828, 667, Elite, Hyde, Pommard, Cruz, 943, and Swan. Medium-bodied and energetic, it opens with dark cherry and pomegranate seed, framed by savory brown spice and lively acidity. Crisp apple-skin and cherrywood-scented tannins provide structure, while cool river-stone minerality and a touch of cocoa powder add depth on the finish. Aged ten months in 34% new French oak, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. Founded by Brice Cutrer Jones in 1999, Emeritus Vineyards is a Pinot-focused producer utilizing dry-farmed vineyards (Hallberg Ranch in Russian River Valley and Pinot Hill on the Sonoma Coast).

Red

2022

Producer

Name

This 100% Pinot Noir, a suitcase clone known as the “Cruz Especial Selection,” hails from Pinot Hill Vineyard in the Sebastopol Hills on the Sonoma Coast. Aged eleven months in 33% new French oak, it is bottled unfined and unfiltered. Compared with the regular Pinot Hill bottling, this Cruz Selection shows a softer, more brown-spiced character, fragrant with wild herbs—sage and dried wild fennel in particular. The fruit leans red-toned, the acidity a touch sharper, and the finish trails off crisp, clean, and bone dry. Founded by Brice Cutrer Jones in 1999, Emeritus Vineyards is a Pinot-focused producer utilizing dry-farmed vineyards (Hallberg Ranch in Russian River Valley and Pinot Hill on the Sonoma Coast).

Red

2022

Producer

Name

This 100% Pinot Noir from Pinot Hill Vineyard in the Sebastopol Hills on the Sonoma Coast blends six clones—115, Hyde, Cruz, 667, Elite, and Pommard. Aged eleven months in 41% new French oak, it is bottled unfined and unfiltered. The wine is bold, tart, and structured, bursting with cherry fruit, cherry wood, incense, tangerine zest, and grapefruit pith. While the bouquet is generous and expressive, the palate is more lively and zesty, focused, and linear—a vibrant, food-friendly Pinot Noir. Founded by Brice Cutrer Jones in 1999, Emeritus Vineyards is a Pinot-focused producer utilizing dry-farmed vineyards (Hallberg Ranch in Russian River Valley and Pinot Hill on the Sonoma Coast).

Red

2022

Producer

Name

Dark cherry fruit mingles with rose-petal florals in this broad-shouldered yet graceful Pinot Noir. As it opens, red fruit shades toward blue on the palate, enlivened by zesty blood-orange acidity and nuanced with incense, dusty rose, sagebrush, and thyme. The finish is long and crisp, marked by both freshness and depth. This 100% Pinot Noir, a blend of clones 667 and 115 from the Hallberg Ranch Vineyard in the Russian River Valley, was aged eleven months in 38% new French oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Founded by Brice Cutrer Jones in 1999, Emeritus Vineyards is a Pinot-focused producer utilizing dry-farmed vineyards (Hallberg Ranch in Russian River Valley and Pinot Hill on the Sonoma Coast).

Red

2022

Producer

Name

Total elegance—this Pinot Noir weaves conifer notes around bright red berry, cherry, and pomegranate fruit, accented by flinty minerality and gorgeous cedarwood. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers cherry, blood orange, and cranberry, all lifted by crunchy cranberry acidity. The tannins are fine, firm, and taut—beautifully elongated and persistent through the long, spicy finish. A superbly built and absolutely delicious Pinot Noir. Winemaker Brian Gruber explains that this Pinot Noir is a blend of older plantings and newer vines established in 2018. Grapes are mostly destemmed, though select lots are fermented with whole clusters for blending flexibility. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel, with individual blocks vinified separately. After a short cold soak, native fermentations begin, accompanied by a regimen of pumpovers and punchdowns. Following primary fermentation, an extended maceration of up to 28 days builds mouthfeel, mid-palate weight, and structure. The wine is gently pressed, with primarily free-run juice selected for the final blend. It is aged in roughly one-third new French oak for up to 18 months before blending and bottling.

Red

2022

Producer

Name

Planted in 1998 and nestled in the heart of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, the Fiddlestix Vineyard benefits from a northwest-facing slope that’s blanketed in cool morning fog and refreshed by afternoon Pacific breezes. In 2022, it delivered a deeply flavorful and expressive Pinot Noir. Aromas of spearmint, pine forest, and black cherry lead into a palate that shifts toward pomegranate, revealing a deep mid-palate of saline-laced acid tension. The tannins are exceptionally fine-grained, providing structure without weight, while the finish unfurls with notes of spiced plum, coriander, and cumin, accented by the faintest whisper of crème brûlée.