Led with Clone 777, the 2019 Pinot Noir Stormin' Estate Vineyard has a darker fruit profile, with black raspberry, rich mineral earth, and cedar. Full cherry fruit floods the palate, with baking spice, fine tannins, and a long finish. Hold this another year or so and drink 2024-2034.
The 2019 Pinot Noir Afleet Estate Vineyard utilized 40% stem inclusion with whole clusters. The aromatics are spiced and take on more depth, with red plum, cinnamon, and forest floor. The palate has more structure as well, with brambly red fruit, wild raspberry, and turned earth. It has a bit of youthful astringency on the peripheral palate, so hold 1-2 years and drink 2024-2032.
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Stature is flush with classic aromatics of cedar, pipe tobacco, and black currant liqueur. The palate is full throughout and rich with plum skin, iron rich earth, and dried sage. Drink 2024-2037.
Moving further north into Mendocino, the 2020 Chardonnay Jackson Estate Sable Mountain Vineyard has savory appeal, revealing notes of fresh pine, lemon verbena, and ripe apple. The palate is ripe with energetic tension, with white peach, pear, and baking spice. Drink 2022-2030.
Moving into more candied and confected aromatics, the 2019 Pinot Noir Marin County is noted by sweet purple flowers and candied raspberry. The palate is softly textured and very pretty in style. The florality continues through the palate and is delicate and fresh. Drink 2022-2038.
Fragrant with fresh flowers, the 2019 Chardonnay Three Jacks Vineyard is noted by dusty, chalky earth, sun-ripened yellow apple, and chamomile. The palate is full and moves into green apple skin. Drink over the next 10 or more years. This is a very pretty style of Chardonnay.
The 2019 Chardonnay Sevens Bench Vineyard is a touch more savory on the nose, with crushed rock, light toast, and lemon verbena. The palate is fresh with salty ripe lemon and has a long finish that shows off subtle baking spice and custard. Drink it over the next 8-10 years.
The 2019 Syrah Brosseau is compact and savory on the nose with graphitic earth, Kalamata olive, and blackberry. The palate is also compact and full of meaty richness, with black plum, tobacco, and turned earth. Hold a few years and drink over the next 8-10 years.
The 2020 Pinot Noir Edmeades Vineyard moves into a darker fruit profile, with fresh-turned soil, saddle leather, cherry, and violet notes. Its profile is dark fruited but lifts off the palate despite having a fairly grippy tannin structure. The finish is crunchy with ripe strawberry and turned earth. Drink 2024-2030.
The 2020 Pinot Noir Sealift is very pretty on the nose, with notes of roses and fresh wild strawberry. The palate is fresh and floral, with wildflowers, raspberry, and herbes de Provence. With its fine tannins and medium frame, this is a very charming wine. drink 2023-2030.
The 2020 Chardonnay Brosseau Chalone is more savory with white button mushrooms, dried herbs, and pear. The palate is full of tension, followed by mineral nerve and acid drive on the finish. A gastronomic expression, it will be wonderful to see this develop over the next 15 or more years.
Planted in 1981 at 1600 feet elevation on the southwest side of the valley, the DuPratt Vineyard sits within the fog line and keeps very long ripening. The aromas of the 2020 Chardonnay DuPratt are ripe with lemon curd, corn kernels, and brioche, while the palate is round up front, then comes into focus with a medium-bodied frame. There is more astringency here as well, with pithy lemon and melon rind.
The 2020 Chardonnay Skycrest leads with crushed rock and apricot, while the palate has more concentration and depth, with a super-long finish and mineral nerve. Its elegant style delivers lots of finesse. There is a touch more warmth here, but it is well integrated. Drink over the next 15 years.
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is lifted with graphite and pencil shavings, compact blackcurrant, and dried tobacco leaf. It has powerful mountain structure, with black plum skin, a bit of gamey iron richness, and dried herbs. It warrants several years in the cellar to tame its structure, and should be drunk between 2025 and 2040.
The 2020 Pinot Noir has classic markers of beet root, cinnamon spice, and raspberry seed, followed by a medium-bodied palate with a stony mouthfeel, offering notes of fresh cherry pit, with fresh roses, and crunchy red fruit on the finish. This wine is sourced from what is now officially known as the West Sonoma Coast.
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is perfumed with sweet crushed flowers, candied blackberry, and soft baking spice. The palate is juicy up front and gives way to more savory fine-grained tannins and a supple mouthfeel, with notes of black tea and wild herbs. Drink 2025-2042.
Vérité
The 2020 Pinot Noir Skycrest Vineyard is more introverted in its aromatics of fresh fig, freshly turned earth, and sassafras. It has a more powerful structure and grip, with notes of ripe black cherry pit and tea leaf. Allow some time in bottle before drinking 2024-2028.
The 2019 Pinot Noir Van der Kamp Vineyard is fragrant of ripe red plum, dried red flowers, and orange oil. The palate is ripe with plum pit, turned earth, and tea leaf. This is a little more savory expression, offering gamey richness and fine tannins. Drink it over the next 8 or so years.
The nose of the 2019 Pinot Noir Zena Crown Vineyard is expressive of some black fruit as well as iron-rich minerality and moss-covered earth. The palate is savory with iron-rich earth, red cherry pit, and crunchy red plum skin. Drink this over the next 6 or so years.
A more savory side comes through in the 2019 Merlot Jackson Park Vineyard, which offers notes of fresh pine, black plum, and sun-baked hay. The palate is more compact, with fig, dark chocolate, and tea leaf. Drink 2024-2032.
There are perfumed floral tones with the 2019 Merlot Bennett Valley as well as hints of violet candy, currant, and dark mineral earth. The palate is full and structured, with fresh acidity as well as notes of red plum and turned earth. Drink 2023-2030.
The 2020 Chardonnay Kelli Ann Vineyard has a more assertive character and flinty minerality, with ripe green apple, vanilla, and lemon bars. The palate is full and inviting, with notes of melon, crème brûlée, and lemon pith. Drink over the next 5-7 years.
Exuberant aromatics of toasted vanillin, custard, and candied pineapple emerge from the 2020 Chardonnay Cougar Ridge Vineyard, and its palate is full of yellow apple and a florality that carries through the finish. Drink it over the next 6-8 years.
The 2019 Pinot Noir Unforgettable Estate Vineyard was raised in 25% new French oak and has aromas of fresh red plum, vanilla bean, and crushed red flowers. There is another gear on the palate, with up-front primary fruit of juicy raspberry that is cleaned away with fresh cranberry and mouthwatering acidity. This is another open and charming wine now, but it will be wonderful over the next 8-10 years.
The 2019 Pinot Noir 9 Barrel is rich with soft floral aromatics of crushed flowers, cedar, and cherry candy. Juicy red cherry fruit fills the palate, with fresh sweet herbs and forest floor. Drink 2022-2030.