This week’s Tasting Highlights showcases a diverse mix of Pinot Noirs from California's Sonoma County, with reds from the 2022 and 2021 vintages in Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley, plus a few well-priced regional blends. Most are made in sizable volumes, making it that much easiser to find them on store shelves.
With the top-scoring wine in this lineup, Emeritus manages to pull off what is often challenging: making single-vineyard Pinot Noir priced less than $50. Founder Brice Cutrer Jones started the winery in 1999, and his daughter, Mari Jones, now oversees operations with winemaker Keith Hammond, producing a range of estate-focused Pinot Noirs. Their 2021 Hallberg Ranch bottling exhibits a riper style of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, with mulberry, boysenberry and blackberry compote flavors.
This lineup also includes Fort Ross' Pinot Noir Sonoma coast Sea Slopes 2022, a bright red with blood, mineral and floral notes. Read on to get our score and full tasting note for this Sonoma Pinot Noir and seven others!
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