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2007 Sonatera Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

The Sonatera Vineyard has established itself as one of the best Pinot Noir vineyards on the Sonoma Coast. What does it take for a vineyard to achieve legendary status? Consistency, distinctness, and the ability to produce great wines in difficult vintages are the hallmarks of legends.

To clarify, 2007 was not a difficult vintage. It was near perfect. Sonatera produced the most balanced and powerful fruit yet. This amazing fruit translated into a wine that winemaker’s dream of making. Not just because the fruit was not challenging to work with, but because the wine is amazing to drink.

Upon opening, the 2007 displays aromas of exotic herbs, stem inclusion, earth and menthol. As the wine opens up layers of black cherry, tobacco and anise are exposed. The tannins are perfect, slightly more than silky provide the grip that gives the wine structure and a long finish. The finish is polished off by the refreshing swipe of vibrant acidity. This wine will not doubt improve with some cellaring, but it may be hard to resist popping open bottles sooner rather than later.

Production: 700 Cases
Release Date: February 2009


logo 90 Points
Shows an exotic array of flavors, including blackberry and cherry jam, Dr. Pepper, mashed ripe dates, milk chocolate, orage zest and black pepper. The wine is dry, although it's a little too soft. - S.H.

91 Points
Enticing loamy earth, dried currant and black cherry fruit is supple and elegant, medium- to full-bodied. Complex and layered, ending with caressing tannins and a long finish. Drink now through 2014. 703 cases made. –JL

logo 93 Points
TWO STARS:(91-94 points) A highly distinctive wine. Likely to be memorable. As in the previous vintage, so again does the Sonatera Vineyard bottling win the nod as one of Siduri's very best efforts in 2007. Absolutely laden with optimally ripened, black-cherry fruit and filled out with a full measure of seamlessly fit oak, the wine is deep, dense and involving from front to back. Its considerable concentration and deft sense of balance garner it big points in the near term, but it will only get better with age and deserves at least of few years patience.

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