Those of us in the California wine
business have never professed to being especially proficient at geography. For example,
the “North Coast” appellation includes the Napa Valley which really isn’t on the coast. Or
consider the Terra de Promissio Vineyard (the source of this wine) which is located in the
Sonoma Coast appellation but is actually east of Highway 101. Well, we may not know
geography but we do understand great grapes and the TdP Vineyard (as we fondly call it at
the winery) produced a truly expressive wine that, despite its geographic confusion, does
remind us of the Sonoma Coast.
What specifically is Sonoma Coast-ish about this wine? For starters it demonstrates the
forest floor, mushroom-like aromas that are so common to Sonoma Coast designated
wines. It also has good levels of natural acidity - a product perhaps of the cool, windswept
Petaluma Gap area (and the rightful appellation of the vineyard although it is not yet recognized
by the government). This acid accentuates the tangy raspberry fruit in the wine.
And, finally, this wine performed best with only a kiss of new oak (15%) rounding out the
finish but allowing the character of the vineyard to shine through.
Production: 491 cases
Release Date: Octoberr 2007
93 points ~ PinotReport
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