Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

My favorite Cali pinot. 2015 and still has runway ahead of it.

Presents sandalwood, barrel toast and coffee notes on the nose. Crunchy and somewhat gnarly texture on the mid palate. Overripe cherries are the dominant theme. Tannins and acid are prominent. Drink up if you have em as I consider this to be close to fully mature.

Outstanding example of Cali Pinot. Even more so since this is 2012 vintage. Overripe cherries and coffee notes explode on the nose. The palate displays crunchy black fruits along with syrop de cassis. Superb grainy tannins combine with bright acidity. A reference point in Sonoma/Cali.

Here are my top 2023 tastings by type. Let me know what your favorites are…

2023 Wines of my Year
Sauvignon Blanc - Modus Operandi (2021) - $45
Chablis - Domaine Genot-Boulanger Puligny Montrachet (2020) - $85
Chardonnay - Kongsgaard (2020) - $120
Pinot - Aston Estate (2012) - $70
Cabernet - Sinegal (2019) - $75 &
Cabernet - Lewelling (2019) - $59

Ruby color with aromas of red fruits, forest floor and cedar spice. On the palate flavors of cherry and raspberry with cedar notes, cinnamon spice and earthy herbs. Full-bodied, fine tannins, long finish ending with fruit, oak and an earthy character. Drink now, starting to be past it’s prime.

Upon opening, I was shocked at how much herbal funk there was, probably because I expected a ton of fruit to be evident. After 30mins, the funk faded and the fruit become more pronounced but certainly not overdone/extracted. Very pretty aromatics of mostly birch, raspberries, black cherries, and currant. The acidity was mellow at first but hit stride two hours in…vibrant, with cranberry, peppercorn crusted rhubarb, hint of cola and a great snap on the finish. Didn’t find any of that RM “orange peel” type note. A bit of a darker expression, which seems to be in a very good drinking window at the moment.

Loving this crunchy, textured, sublime pinot. So pure and crystalline. So much depth with a wealth of coffee notes, nutmeg, cinnamon and blue fruits. Still youthfully tannic. This is a double hold for sure. Stunning.

Wifey is out of commission, so to speak, so I had to hunt and provide. Locked in on jerk chicken with roasted veggies.
She wanted something light in the glass (relative to cab), so I opted for Aston. Nose presents cinnamon. Mid palate is gnarly, rustic and textured. Loads of barrel toast and a hint of tart cherries, with prominent acidity. Finish keeps going… we may have under clubbed our rating.

The label was soiled when I received the order. I was immediately concerned regarding the contents. Happily, the wine was in pristine nick. Forest floor and cinnamon nose transitioned to the signature gnarly, textured dark fruit, smoke, and spice box presentation. I’m going to hold some of these Astons and see what happens. Intro’d to this by @Bill Bender, this has become my fave Cali pinot. Every vintage comes correct.

Nose is dominated by flowers and cinnamon. Palate displays coffee notes, sandalwood, smoke and star anise. Tannins are still prominent, as is the acidity. It’s so vibrant and textured. The finish just extends and expands. Another one of our domestic pinot faves.
I was thrilled to read in a recent WS article shared by a friend, that TRB has taken full ownership of this winery. He has a compelling vision for its future. Schrader inadvertently threw shade on this. That’s going to change going forward.

We love this for its gnarly presentation. Still fruit forward, presenting blueberries and blackberries. Big tannins intertwine with bright acidity and sweetness.
A reference point for Cali pinot in our minds. No signs of aging.

Coffee notes and sandalwood are prominent. Huge extraction, but extremely well done. We were put onto this by @Bill Bender, and we are eternally grateful for the share.