2021 Sonoma Coast Sealift Vineyard Pinot Noir
2021 Pinot Noir
96 Points
"Located in the Anapolis area, this vineyard is an 180 acre site that has older vines that ripen slowly. Stored in 40% new French oak the 2021 Pinot Noir offers crushed seashells on the nose alongside dense dark fruits and hints of black truffle shavings. This is a big, burly wine that has beautiful body and underlying verve. Finishing long with refined tannins, this dense and chewy Pinot Noir is drinking marvelously right now. Drink 2024-2040."
About This Wine
Along the rolling hills near the town of Annapolis in the far northwestern corner of Sonoma County lies the Sealift Vineyard, just four miles from the Pacific Ocean. This proximity to the ocean provides ample cool air and fog for a long, mild growing season. Planted at 1,200 feet above sea level on Goldridge Sandy Loam soils, Sealift is a spectacular site for dark, brooding Pinot Noirs that also show the classic orange peel undertones of Annapolis.
The 2021 growing season on the Sonoma Coast was marked by a relatively cool spring and mid-summer, with heat picking up towards the finish line of harvest. The lighter-than-average crop accelerated ripening, leading to a compact harvest season during the second half of September. Vintners on the Sonoma Coast were rewarded for the hurried harvest season with outstanding, intense flavors, dark colors, and soft tannins.
