2016 Sea Slopes Pinot Noir
92 Points, Editor's Choice - Wine Enthusiast
An impressive selection from Winemaker Jeff Pisoni. A hint of forest-floor spice and strong flavors of dark cherry and orange combine on a light, silky texture. This offers a great sense of finesse within a framework of structure and freshness. —V.B
92 Points, James Suckling
A vibrant, red-fruited style of pinot that has a wealth of gently grippy tannins and a convincingly long palate that holds a clear, juicy finish. Drink now.
90 Points - Wine Advocate
Pale ruby-purple colored, the 2016 Pinot Noir Sea Slopes gives up notions of warm cranberries and Bing cherries with raspberry leaves, dried sage and tilled soil undercurrent. The palate is medium-bodied, refreshing and vivacious with a nice bit of chew to the texture and a persistent earthy finish.—L.P-B.
90 Points - Wine and Spirits Magazine
Tight and formal in its tart cherry flavors, this shows some reductive rubber and green-onion notes at first, then opens to a gentle, gracious pinot noir. Decant it for roast duck. (3,890 cases produced) - Josh Green
91 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
Another terrific value from this estate. Cherries, strawberries, spice and an undeniable salty, marine-like minerality give way to a fresh, elegant, medium-bodied effort that shows the cooler, complex style of the Sonoma Coast appellation. Bravo.
Food & Wine Magazine: The 30 Pinot Noirs to Drink If You Want to Be a Real Expert
In the mornings, fog rolling off the Pacific shrouds this vineyard in a magical haze. By noon, the sun’s rays transform the illusion, revealing perfectly manicured Pinot Noir vines planted on rugged coastal slopes. A bold, and deeply flavored wine could only come from this incredible terroir. This shows dark cherry, orange peel, and turned earth, with warm cranberry and dried sage. Silky on the finish.
Forbes Magazine
Aromas of morel cherry, cardamom and nutmeg. Medium-bodied, this has very good ripeness and varietal character, very good acidity, moderate tannins and pleasing notes of brown spice and herbs in the finish. Approachable and very drinkable now, this will drink nicely over the next 3-5 years. Very Good.
Wine of the Week - Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences
Dark cherry fruit and then trace amounts of either cinnamon or nutmeg, with grace notes of French oak for
complexity mark the superb aromas of this excellent value PN. This is the lower-level (!) wine of Fort Ross and is an excellent value since it has a bit of weight and is nicely balanced.
★★★★ EXCELLENT - Restaurant Wine, Ronn Wiegand MW/MS
Complex in style, this is a medium weight Pinot Noir with full body, good balance, and firm structure, with elegant fruitiness (cherry, rose petal, strawberry, plum, red currant) and oak complexity (toast, spicy oak). Well balanced; very long finish. Burgundy-like (in the best sense). Several day cold soak. Aged 9 months in French oak barrels, 15% new. Unfined, unfiltered. 3,890 cases.