With an enticing garnet hue, this terroir-driven Pinot Noir offers delicate, yet complex aromas of rose petals and raspberries that weave together with forest floor, cola and Asian spice. The elegant aromatics lead to a complex palate defined by black raspberry, Bing cherry and bramble berries, with hints of subtle citrus and a dash of winter spices. The fine, supple tannin structure reflects the cooler vintage and perfectly frames the red berry fruit and earth that is revealed throughout the layered, velvety finish.
93 Points, Cellar Selection - Wine Enthusiast
Released a year after their spectacular Sea Slopes bottling, this small production Pinot shows the elegance of the far Sonoma Coast, and also the ageworthiness of a fine wine. Dry and crisp, it has deep flavors of cherries, pomegranates and persimmons that are fresh and tart. It will have no trouble negotiating the next six years, growing earthier and more complex. Cellar Selection. —S.H.
91 Points - James Suckling
Rich aromas of strawberries and cranberries showing some fresh mushrooms. Palate has some preserves and a long, big finish. This is a full-bodied wine showing nicely balanced acidity.
91 Points - Connoisseurs' Guide
Even if starting to show a slight note of aged complexity and a touch of early suppleness on the palate, this solid, well-structured wine is a few years away from finding its full voice. Its deep and very continuous themes of extracted cherries are accented by intriguing highlights of green tea and forest-floor spice, and, while still a bit grippy and tannic, it has more than enough fruity flesh on its ample bones.
90 Points - Wine Spectator
Offers a firm, rustic backbone, dense and tight, with blackberry, raspberry, anise and spicy notes. This is young and chewy, ending with a persistent finish and vibrancy that suggests a long life ahead. Drink now through 2021. —J.L.
★★★★ - Restaurant Wine
These are refined, elegant Pinots. The standard bottling is rich and ripely flavored; a full bodied, complex, lightly tannic wine, with good balance, and a firm, long finish. In aroma/flavor, it tastes of cherry, raspberry, plum jam, juniper, toast, nutmeg, and cooked beef.
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
With an enticing garnet hue, this terroir-driven Pinot Noir offers delicate, yet complex aromas of rose petals and raspberries that weave together with forest floor, cola and Asian spice. The elegant aromatics lead to a complex palate defined by black raspberry, Bing cherry and bramble berries, with hints of subtle citrus and a dash of winter spices. The fine, supple tannin structure reflects the cooler vintage and perfectly frames the red berry fruit and earth that is revealed throughout the layered, velvety finish.
Vineyard Notes
From our mountain vineyard that overlooks the Sonoma Coast and now part of the new Fort Ross-Seaview American
Viticultural Area, Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery produces limited quantities of single vineyard, Estate grown,
cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinotage. With spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean less than one mile away,
the vineyard is divided into 30 separate blocks, one-half to two acres in size, that rapidly fall from 1700 down to 1200
feet above sea level. Owners, Lester and Linda Schwartz and their small crew began preparing the 50 acre vineyard in
1994. It took them 4 years of preparation before they could begin planting the first vines in 1998.
Production Notes
2010 began with a cold and rainy January and February. We began pruning in the middle of February as we try
to start as late as possible to delay bud break until the weather at the coast warms up. There were record-breaking
low temperatures during spring that led to a late bud break all over California. Ours was even later and took
place during warm and stable weather leading to an excellent berry set. Summer was the second coldest in 50
years in Sonoma County. After this cool summer there was an intense heat spike in August. Fortunately our
proximity to the ocean minimized the effects of the extreme cold and heat. We anxiously waited through very
unstable weather while the flavors developed and began harvest on September 28th. The last grapes were picked
on November 2 – and that afternoon the torrential rains began.
Winemaker Notes
The grapes for this Pinot Noir were handpicked during the cool hours of the night in 2 gallon trays. After hand sorting, the fruit was cold soaked for several days and fermented in a combination of 5 and 10 ton tanks. The caps were punched down 1 or 2 times per day, depending on the stage of the fermentation. The wines were then barreled in a combination of 35% new and 65% neutral French oak. Throughout the 10 months of barrel aging, the clones and different vineyard blocks were kept separate to maintain their distinct flavor profiles and structural components as blending elements.
Production
973 cases 750 ml
Other Notes
Calera, Swan & Dijon clones 115 & 777
