Pinot Noir Wine

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022 

Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points | The 2022 Pinot Noir Les Dijonnais comes from the oldest vines on the property, planted in 1995 with all Dijon clones. Bottled in late January of this year, the wine sports a vibrant ruby hue and shows off notes of wild raspberries, mixed berries, a hint of fresh violets, clove spice, forest herbs, and brambly earth. It’s chiseled in its structure, with coiled tannins and a good deal of youthful tension, and also offers mineral persistence, with wonderful salinity and dark undertones of earth. It demands another few years in cool cellars to soften and expand as it evolves and will drink well over the long haul. Drink 2026-2040. 590 cases were produced.

Winemaker Description 

Planted in 1995, the Dijon block is now in its prime, delivering the complexity and elegance one expects from carefully tended twenty-six-year-old vines. The 2021 “DJ,” as it is known in-house, shows characteristic black raspberry and rose hip notes. Consistent with previous vintages, it displays Asian five spice, briar and even hints of blood orange coupled with a refreshing acidity and persistent finish. It is a superior vintage, one of the best of the decade. While the 2021 Les Dijonnais Pinot Noir is delicious right now, it will reward patience after a few years in a cool cellar.  Winemaker Description.

Winemaker Description

Bright cherry, raspberry and strawberry notes greet the nose, along with fresh rose petals, baking spices and hints of earth. Bright acidity on the entrance combines with the showy red fruit and flavors of forest floor, rhubarb, sage and toast on the palate. Round, supple tannins provide an exceptionally good transition to the finish, with structured tannins providing nice body and length. 

Winemaker Description 

Maison Noir O.P.P. Other People’s Pinot is the creation of André Hueston Mack, former wine director at Thomas Keller’s Per Se at Columbus Circle. There, André sold some of the greatest wines in the world. He used his wealth of wine knowledge and industry contacts to craft a top quality Willamette Valley Pinot Noir with lusty fruit and great complexity that wine lovers everywhere can afford. Hence, the birth of Other People’s Pinot.

The 2023 Other People’s Pinot is classic Oregon Pinot—earmark Willamette Valley. It is accessible, a great value, and stays true to the character of the vineyards from which it was born. Earthy, spicy, floral, herb-framed flavors of cherry with gingery wood spice tones.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021

Tasting Panel 92 Points | A trio of appellations - the Willamette Valley, the Rogue Valley, and the Umpqua Valley, which contributed 63%, 23%, and 14% of the blend, respectively - define the unique flavor profile of this wine aged ten months in (20% new) French oak. Its scents of sweet tobacco, tilled soil, and ripe cherry are fetching. Bright cranberry is washed with cinnamon and layered with mocha, espresso, and pink peppercorn.

Winemaker Description 

Bright aromas of ripe strawberry and raspberry open up on the nose along with a hint of cedar. Vibrant flavors of red cherry and cranberry follow, accompanied by accents of black tea and thy me, with a dash of pink peppercorn. Fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity provide structure and balance through the lingering finish.

Winemaker Description

Vivid notes of black raspberry, fresh pomegranate juice, with wild blueberry, sassafras, subtle licorice, toasted oak an earthy backbone, and grippy tannins. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2023 

90 Points James Suckling | A light and fresh pinot that has real pinot character, with sliced strawberry and citrus notes. Light-bodied, clean and an attractive.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021 

Wine Spectator 91 Points | Leads with mulled cherry and plum notes, with hints of warm licorice and fruitcake, plus red tea filling in on the finish. Reveals fresh underlying acidity that extends the finish nicely. Drink now through 2026.

Winemaker Description 

Winemaker Description

Peay Vineyards is a first-generation family winery. Husband and wife, Nick Peay & Vanessa Wong, grow and make the wine and brother, Andy Peay, and his wife Ami, sell the wine and run the business.

All wines are made from grapes grown on our 53-acre estate vineyard located above a river gorge in the far northwestern corner of the Sonoma Coast, 4 miles from the Pacific Ocean at Sea Ranch. We sit in the chilly inversion layer with fog and wind from the Ocean maintaining cool temperatures with plenty of sunlight.

The Scallop Shelf has evolved over the last 15 years into the most mineral-driven and understated of our Pinot noirs. The 2021 is perfectly proportioned and harmonious with aromas of sassafras, wet slate, and apple skin with a floral and savory note popping in and out. The elements of the wine are already remarkably well-integrated with notes of cedar, forest floor, and ras el hanout spice framing the fruit. The finish is bright and the flavors go on and on. A wonderful Scallop Shelf from a superb vintage.

Winemaker Vanessa Wong left her position as winemaker at Peter Michael Winery in 2001 to launch Peay Vineyards. Formerly she worked at Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, Domaine Jean Gros and Hirsch Winery.

We farm organically and maintain our licenses for fish friendly farming and integrated pest management. The health of our vineyard dictates these approaches to farming and making wine. We also run on bio-diesel at the vineyard and solar power at both the vineyard and winery.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021 

Jeb Dunnuck 99 Points | More mineral aromas emerge in the 2021 Pinot Noir Scallop Shelf, with notes of wet stone, black raspberry, and fresh herbs. Medium-bodied and more tension driven, it’s taut with orange zest, clove, and gravelly, saline earth. It’s going to need time to unpack. Drink 2026-2046. (2021). 

Robert Parker 96 Points | The 2021 Estate Pinot Noir Scallop Shelf is delicate and perfumed this year. Pale ruby-purple in the glass it has pretty scents of red licorice and raspberry lavender and saline with mushroom undertones. The medium-bodied palate has a frame of chalky tannins and fireworks of fresh acidity. Despite its lifted character it's bursting with floral fruit and has a long perfumed finish. Give it a couple of years in bottle to unwind. (2021). 

Vinous 96 Points | I tasted many Peay wines during my last visit and the months preceding. The Peay team led by brothers Andy and Nick Peay and winemaker Vanessa Wong turned out an absolutely brilliant set of 2021s. Every wine is a joy to taste. The 2021 Pinot Noir Scallop Shelf offers a more linear mineral-driven expression of the estate. Most of this fruit is Pommard clone but that is not especially evident. Red-toned fruit chalk mint white pepper and slate lend brightness. This linear focused Pinot bristles with saline energy and tension. Give it time.

Winemaker Description

Fragrant and floral aromas of hibiscus and dried rose petal combined with bright cherry, dried cranberry, and just a hint of black licorice, are expressed in this classic Oregon Pinot Noir. A medium bodied entry instantly pleases and leads to a silky mid palate carried by dried Bing cherry, black tea, with light sandalwood and cedar notes. 

Well balanced, this wine’s body is supported by youthful yet integrated tannin and moderate acidity that lingers into a medium long finish. A direct and mouth watering Pinot Noir that promises to pair perfectly with both Wednesday night takeout or Friday date night!

Winemaker Description

Medium ruby-purple, the 2019 Estate Pinot Noir Ama features pure, layered aromas of rhubarb, tart dried red cherries, burnt orange peel, blueberries and violet with tones of conifer and forest floor, continuing to offer new aromatic nuances with each return to the glass. The medium-bodied palate is bright and chalky, with youthfully coiled fruits and a long, spicy finish.

Expert Review

Robert Parker 94 Points | Medium ruby-purple, the 2019 Estate Pinot Noir Ama features pure, layered aromas of rhubarb, tart dried red cherries, burnt orange peel, blueberries and violet with tones of conifer and forest floor, continuing to offer new aromatic nuances with each return to the glass. The medium-bodied palate is bright and chalky, with youthfully coiled fruits and a long, spicy finish. (2019). 

Winemaker Description

Pale ruby red. Aromas of dark red cherry, vanilla spice. Tastes of red and dark cherry.

Pair with roasted aubergine and Morroccan spice. 70% dark chocolate. Olive tapenade and warm pita bread.

Hand harvested at optimum ripeness. De-stemmed and crushed into tank. Aged for 11 months in large French oak.

Winemaker Description

This one-time moonshine producing site, deep in the Sonoma Coast hills, was planted by Charlie Chenoweth to a large array of high quality Pinot Noir selections, which adds complexity and depth. Energetic, fruity top notes swirl around aromas of raspberry tea, clove, carnation blossom and sassafras. Extraordinarily concentrated and rich, this wine is at once chewy and thick while maintaining an energy and freshness that speaks to the coolness and long ripening of Bootlegger’s Hill.

Expert Reviews

Wine Advocate 93+ Points | Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2016 Pinot Noir Bootlegger's Hill opens with notes of black cherries, warm plums and wild blueberries with touches of Indian spices, fertile loam and fungi. Medium-bodied, it offers black berries and earth notions in the mouth, with a firm, fine-grained frame and long, earthy finish. 494 cases produced. Drinking 2018 -2030 — Lisa Perrotti-Brown.

Winemaker Description 

This regional red Burgund comes from lieu-dit "Les Longbois" in Volnay and various vineyards in Puligny-Montrachet.

Today's style remains faithful to Hubert's classic and terroir- driven approach, with greater aromatic expression, silkier and more unctuous textures in the reds, allowing them to drink earlier, without compromising their ability to age. 

The domaine is known in Burgundy for using a significant proportion of whole clusters that varies from one to cuvée to another depending on the plant material and the vintage.

Organic since 1995 and biodynamic since 2005. All our wines are certified by Ecocert.

2022 embraces both quality and generosity, and reveals a vibrant and incredibly seductive profile with crunchy fruitiness.

The 2022 Bourgogne Pinot Noir reveals an open and charming nose with notes of blackcurrant berries and red cherry, with quite coating texture. 

Winemaker Description 

The Spanish term “Las Alturas” means “the heights,” a fitting name for this vineyard located on one of the highest grape-growing benches in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA up to 1,200 feet. At this elevation, the sunny but very cool climate creates a wine bearing all the hallmarks of this coastal region: robust, expressive, full-bodied, and balanced by a firm acidity

We harvested early in the morning so the fruit would arrive at the winery while the grapes were still cool to preserve the vineyard-fresh flavors. After destemming (but not crushing) the berries, we cold-soaked the fruit for up to two weeks to soften the skins and allow for ideal extraction. During fermentation in a combination of closed and open-top stainless steel fermenters, we used both punch-downs and pump-overs to extract color and tannins, and also to control temperatures and maximize flavors. We aged the wine in 100% French oak (60% new) for up to nine months. After the wine underwent malolactic fermentation, we racked it twice before making the final blend.

Rich crimson in color with fragrant aromas of bing cherry, dried fig, black cassis and hints of rich dark chocolate. Bold and elegant on the palate with marionberry pie, boysenberry preserves, dark plum, and subtle notes of mocha. Balanced and structured, this wine has beautiful acidity that lingers through to a long, mouthwatering finish.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points | Deep and dark aromas of black cherry, sandalwood and incense make for a heady nose on this bottling. The palate is big and bold, loaded with ripe black cherry and boysenberry flavors, as peppery, incense-like spices add complexity and the texture stays lusciously creamy.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018

The Wine Enthusiast 97 Points | This is an incredibly dynamic, complex and yet utterly delicious bottling. Aromas of roasted cherry, iodine, iron, bay leaf, sage and mushroomy meats envelop the nose. The palate is rich in texture and flavors yet fierce with acidity, combining opulent berries, toasted sage and gamy meats into a head-spinning sip.

Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points |  One of the darker hued wines in the lineup, the 2018 Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard is tighter and more wound up, with a laser-like sense of precision in its white pepper, crushed stone, and tart stone and black raspberry fruits. The purity of fruit here is top notch, as is the overall balance, and this medium-bodied 2018 is going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and cruise for a decade.

Vinous 94 Points | The 2018 Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard is a dense, savory wine that captures the essence of this marginal, cold-climate site. All of the power and energy is directed inward in this decidedly intense, searing wine. Crushed rose petal, bright red/purplish fruit, chalk, dried herbs and floral notes linger. I can't wait to see how this ages. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018

James Suckling 93 Points | Aromas of fresh red cherries and some rose-like florals, in an upbeat, fruit-driven style. A very concentrated and ripe array of brambly raspberries and red cherries with smooth tannins, delivering a web of fresh-fruit flavor. Succulent and spicy, oak-tinged finish.

The Wine Advocate 92 Points | Normally a bit darker in fruit tone than the blended bottling, the 2018 Cornish Point Pinot Noir features black cherries and a hint of licorice, plus some vaguely floral notions. It's medium to full-bodied, with supple tannins and just a bit of chocolate on the finish, reflecting the warmth of the vintage. 

The Wine Enthusiast 91 Points | This Pinot, from a low lying vineyard almost completely surrounded by water, is simultaneously the most reductive, floral and fruity of this renowned biodynamic producer's lineup. The reduction gives a salty edge but it doesn't overpower the plump cherry and plum fruit or rose petal aromas. The palate is nicely textured with a solid line of acidity that buoys the plush fruit and flows to a long cocktail bitters finish. While this lacks the vibrancy and elegance of some of FR's other single-site wines, it's nevertheless an appealing drop.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022 

Vinous 94 Points | An enticing blend of dried roses, peppery spice and woodland berries wafts up from the 2022 Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard. This is vividly fruit-focused yet crisp in feel, with tactile minerals adding a crunchy sensation as tart red and blue fruits swirl throughout. It tapers off youthfully tense, leaving a staining of primary concentration while silty tannins frame the experience well.

Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points | The 2022 Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard pours a vibrant ruby/magenta color and is highly expressive in the glass, with notes of framboise, candied roses, sweet herbs, and fresh earth. It's vibrant and energetic on the palate, with a ripe but more linear feel, finely coiled tannins, and a tapered finish. Drink it over the next 10 years.

The Wine Advocate 92 Points | The 2022 Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard is sourced from several different sections of the vineyard planted at various times to various clones, including Pommard planted in 1978, Wadenswil planted in 2002 and 2006, Dijon planted in 2007 and Coury planted in 2010. Various percentages of whole cluster were used during fermentation, and the wine was matured in around 17% new French oak. It opens with flinty tones that give way to wild berry fruit, oolong tea leaves, Angostura bitters and bergamot. The light-bodied palate is silky and refreshing with understated, earth-laced flavors and a long, spicy finish.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022 

Vinous 90 Points | The 2022 Pinot Noir Reserve is vividly fruit-focused with a burst of crushed raspberries, lavender and peppery rose. Silky and sleek, this mixes tart red berries with hints of spicy citrus carried over a core of zesty acidity. This tapers off with steely minerality and palpable with silty tannins that add a pleasantly tactile feel.

Winemaker Description 

The original. Medium-bodied with black cherry, cola, strawberry, plum, and soft tannins. No wonder this Pinot is a favorite. Showing a fine combination of ripe, red fruit and sweet oak, this medium bodied Mark West Pinot Noir stays right in there as a fine example of the varietal.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2017

James Suckling 95 Points | This cuvée has a very energetic and intense feel with a wealth of fresh and attractive red cherries and raspberries, plenty of florals and subtle herbal, forest-wood and light-chocolate notes. There’s a very keenly articulated feel to the palate with a plush, very fleshy and assertively long, detailed finish. Deep fruit presence here. Drink across the next decade."

Vinous 93 Points | Vivid red. Expansive aromas of ripe red berries, candied flowers and baking spices, with a smoky mineral topnote that gains strength as the wine opens up. Coats the palate with appealing sweet raspberry and cherry liqueur flavors that tighten up and become spicier on the back half. Shows excellent clarity and floral lift on an impressively long finish that's shaped by fine-grained, even tannins.

Winemaker Description 

Established in 1993 on our lower southeast-facing slope and sheltered by a small forest, Louise Vineyard is the most geologically complex site at Cristom. The wine has a softened, focused acidity and intense complexity.

Winemaking: 49% whole cluster and native yeast fermentations, aged 18 months in 66% new French oak

Cases Produced: 701

Winemaker Description 

Pinot Noir from Valladolid with a surprisingly modern twist. Extremely fruity, light and delicious, your perfect red for summer and spicy dishes.

Winemaker Description 

The biggest range of site exposure, elevation, soil, and climate of any of our single variety bottlings. "The most complete wine in our portfolio", according to winemaker Tim Colla. It takes an exceptional amount of tinkering and finesse to blend 7 Single-Vineyard ferments into a harmonious bottling. From Jim Pratt's Sebastopol Hills Vineyard, to the Sangiacomo Family's Roberts Road Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap, these vineyards represent decades of relationships and an understanding of the diversity of Sonoma Pinot Noir. Together, they represent a richer canvas than any one vineyard alone might provide.

5 Sub-AVAs | 7 Vineyards | 8 Clones

Profile: Cranberry, Spruce, Violets

Primary Vineyards: Pratt Vineyard (Sebastopol Hills), Sundawg Ridge Vineyard (Green Valley of the Russian River Valley), Roberts Road Vineyard (Petaluma Gap), Canihan Vineyard (Sonoma Valley), Van der Kamp Vineyard (Sonoma Mountain), and Rayhill Vineyard (Sebastopol Hills).

Appellation: Sonoma Coast

Terroir: Goldridge soils, volcanic clay, hillside sites, marine fog.

Fermentation & Élevage: 15% Whole cluster fermentation, 11 months in 10% new French Oak.

Production: 1083 Cases

Pairing Suggestions: Blood sausage with apples on toast. Leg of lamb with dijon & rosemary. Braised fennel "alla Romana" with shallot, garlic, lemon & herbs.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021 

James Suckling 95 Points | Some blue fruit with iron and lavender character. Very perfumed. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a bright finish. Linear and tight. Hibiscus at the end. A blend of declassified barrels from the single-vineyard wines. Drink or hold.

Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points | The ripe ruby-colored 2021 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley saw the small addition of about 10% whole cluster. The nose opens to a just gorgeous perfume of red and blue fruit as well as fresh violets and cherry candies. Very tasty indeed, the palate is inviting and medium-bodied, and it has a supple, silky texture, with a long, fresh, pure finish. This inviting red is going to have a wide drinking window over the next 6-8 years.

The Wine Advocate 92 Points | The 2021 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley is a blend of fruit from Arista’s seven vineyard-designate wines. It has pretty aromas of blackberry, blueberry, plum, licorice and turned earth. The medium-bodied palate offers layered, spicy flavors structured by finely astringent tannins and bright acidity, and it has a long, fragrant finish. 

The Wine Spectator 92 Points | Bright and punchy, offering energetic pomegranate, cherry and loganberry fruit infused with sassafras and hibiscus notes, while fresh and slightly high-pitched acidity gives the finish a racy edge. Drink now through 2031.

Winemaker Description 

The core principle of the winemaking philosophy at Arista is to capture and express the true character and potential of each vineyard. They work with a very carefully chosen handful of grand-cru level Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards, and are uncompromising in their efforts to maximize the full potential of the wines crafted from these special sites.

The 2021 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir blends several vineyards from across the storied Russian River appellation, which makes it a prime snapshot of our home region as a whole in each vintage. In 2021, conditions for Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley were exceptional, leading to deeply colored, intensely aromatic, wonderfully vibrant wines.

This ruby-hued wine shows classic Pinot Noir aromas of black plum, tart cherry, and cola. Across the palate, similar ripe fruit notes are abundant and buttressed by the tangy acidity. The firm tannins, which are a hallmark of the 2021 vintage, round out the long finish on this quintessential Sonoma Pinot Noir.

Expert Reviews- Vintage 2021

Tim Fish of the Wine Spectator writes 95 Points |  Supple, richly textured and elegantly complex, this Pinot opens with a burst of fresh raspberry, then unfolds with notes of forest floor and brown baking spices, plus a touch of licorice as it builds tension toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2032. 1,100 cases made.

Clive Pursehouse of Decanter writes 94 Points | Elegance is personified in this 2021 bottling of Bergström's renowned Silice. So-named for the sandy silica soils, the hallmark of the hilly Chehalem Mountain vineyard source. Beautiful bright fruit aromas are further framed by touches of tomato leaf, pine bough and mossy forest floor. The palate is marked by fleshy red raspberries, early season blackberry and fine grain tannin that provides a structure that shows this wine's longevity. (Drink between 2023-2031).

Erin Brooks of The Wine Advocate writes 94 Points |  Medium ruby-purple, the 2021 Pinot Noir Silice Vineyard blossoms slowly to pomegranate, blackberry, watermelon, dried herbs and aniseed. The medium-bodied palate is loaded with wild berry fruit. Combining power and elegance, it's silky and seamless in the mouth, and a flourish of spicy accents across the finish hints it has more to reveal over the next 2-3 years in bottle.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Michael Alberty of the Wine Enthusiast writes 93 Points |  This best barrel selection from prime Willamette Valley vineyards invites you in with aromas of rose petals, red cherries, sweet pea flowers and lemon. Crisp acidity awakens the palate to fresh flavors of boysenberries, rosemary and orange zest. L'Ensemble's tannins are as silky as its texture. To quote the Fine Young Cannibals, the L'Ensemble is a "Good Thing.

Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points | The 2022 Pinot Noir L'Ensemble is a top 100 Wines of the Year contender. Sporting a reflective medium ruby hue in the glass, its pretty and inviting on opening, with pure notes of wild berries, delicate spices, crushed stones, and fresh roses. Medium-bodied on the palate, its refreshing and light on its feet, with fine tannins, a clean feel all the way through, and a tapered, mouthwatering finish. Seamless and pure, this is a fantastic appellation wine to enjoy over the next 10-12 years. I would snatch up a case or two to enjoy more frequently.

Vinous 92 Points | The 2022 Pinot Noir L'Ensemble is a total pleasure to take in, mixing wild blueberries and cherries with sweet spice and hints of cola. This is fruit-forward yet refined, with juicy acidity and bitter tinges of clove and citrus that add contrast throughout. It tapers off with medium length, leaving a tart cranberry crunchiness and a pleasantly chewy sensation that persists.

Winemaker Description 

A bright raspberry hued color along the edges, a dark core, and a certain viscosity as the wine swirls slowly around the glass that leans medium+. Aromas do not hesitate and seem to pour upward from the glass even before fully immersing yourself into the stemware. A sweet bark and earth aroma is layered with a prickly raspberry liqueur, a freshly cut straw dynamic and brown sugar rolled oats. There's an exotic edible red flower aroma and some crushed white pepper, toasted rosemary and an extremely sweet vine picked hood river cherry that is almost overwhelming to process all at once. Signature Jean-Nicolas Méo texture as this wine shifts and widens its stance across your palate. its racy out of the gate with tight granular tannins, white peach and tangerine flavors. As the texture broadens further a brigade of red and blue fruits emerge and push the structure ever further. It's exhilarating in its freshness but combines a raw juiciness that's simply exquisite. Jean-Nicolas' 4th iteration of this super blend of hand-chosen barrels may very well be his best version yet. Although approachable in the short-term, it's certainly a wine that will improve in your cellar for years to come.

Vintage | The 2022 vintage was one of the most unique harvests in recent memory. Typical rainfall and winter temperatures kicked off the vintage, but winter was not yet over as temperatures plummeted in April. Bloom resumed, but with this delayed budbreak we found most of our sites not suitably ripe until October had already arrived. But this prolonged hangtime and extended cool evenings of September and October generated compelling and unique acid structures and textures. Pinot Noir shows classic, cool-climate aromatics reminiscent of vintages long ago. A delicate and ethereal structure shows elegance on the front end, but a generous complexity develops in the mid-palate with waves of citrus fruit acidity intermingling with a dark blackberry liqueur and minerality essence. Lifted and upright from start to finish with an unrelenting precision and energy throughout.

Winemaker Description 

The 2020 Valliant Pinot Noir showcases the bright, fruit-forward nature of Pinot Noir grown along California’s Central Coast. The cool, maritime influences of the Pacific Ocean provide the fruit an extended period on the vine whereby the grapes develop increased flavor.

In the bouquet, this bottling shows notes of wild berries, spiced cranberry, black cherry as well as purple flowers and vanilla cream. Replete with refreshing acidity, the wine shows medium weight with supple tannins and a long, silky finish. 

Winemaker Description

Half bottles hold ~2.5 glasses of your favorite Meiomi wines

From the dense fog and brilliant sun, to the high winds, cool coastal air, and diverse terrain, the California coast presents many challenges. And yet it's still one of the best winegrowing areas for producing world-class Pinot Noir. Each of the vineyards chosen for this wine offers the best expression of its respective appellation, carefully blended to achieve balance, complexity, and richness of flavor.

Winemaker Description 

The 2021 Cuvée brings together a variety of Pinot Noir blocks from the 42-acre Domaine Lumineux vineyard, showcasing the full spectrum of the estate. Heavy rains in the early summer of 2021 impacted pollination in the vineyard and resulted in a very light fruit crop. This was followed by record setting heat and extreme dry conditions throughout the summer, which proved to be beneficial for optimal grape ripening. The combination of low yield and ample warmth produced wines of exceptional balance, intensity, and grace in the Willamette Valley. This ideal harvest yielded outstanding Pinot Noir fruit that came together harmoniously in this blend.

A select blend of our distinct pinot noir clones, the 2021 Cuvée is a multidimensional, harmonious, expression of the Domaine Lumineux Dundee Hills vineyard. This wine exhibits opulent aromas of spice, featuring hints of anise, nutmeg, and earthy forest floor. The savory palate is accompanied by concentrated red fruit notes, intermingled with dried fig. The 2021 Cuvée boasts a complex structure, with intriguing notes of black pepper lending an alluring mouthfeel and a prolonged finish.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022 

Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | Beautiful, pure and focused fruit flavors distinguish this elegant, well-balanced wine. Tart cherries, black cherries, blueberries and black tea nuances seem primed for further complexity over time. A lithe structure of fruit acidity and medium tannins will carry it far. Best from 2026–2032.

Winemaker Description

Dark plum in color with abundant aromas of dark chocolate, black cherry, and sun-ripened blackberry with a hint of cedar. Layered flavors of blackberry and raspberry pie filling, accompanied by notes of cinnamon, chocolate, and nutmeg play on the palate. Smooth and focused with refined tannins and a medium finish.

Winemaker Description

Delightful dark berry and pomegranate notes laced with earth and cola are dominant in this dry, but fruity, fresh and supple organic and biodynamic Pinot Noir.

Winemaker Description 

The 2022 Slander delivers a medium ruby core with a lucid rim that's almost translucent. Aromatically, bing cherry, briar fruit and some raspberry give way to ripe strawberry and associated red fruits. Bright and enveloping on the entry, notes of fresh strawberry, watermelon, thyme and a hint of funk come through. Spicy on the finish, the wine closes with a flash of blue fruits and lift.

There’s a soul to this business and that soul isn’t just from the people who make wine, it’s from everyone who loves wines that make them feel something.” Dave Phinney

Expert Review - Vintage 2021 

James Suckling 91 Points | Fresh aromas of dried strawberries, wild raspberries, dried herbs and wet bark. The palate is light-bodied with crunchy tannins and bright acidity, giving flavors of cranberries, rhubarb and spices. Well balanced and fresh. Drink now.

Winemaker Description 

A New Wine Adventure from the Cakebread Family

Drawing on our 50+ years of experience at Cakebread Cellars, we craft Central Coast wines as complex and charismatic as the people who share them. Who says your everyday glass can’t be extraordinary, too?

In jewelry making, a bezel is the grooved setting that secures a gem or watchface in place. The name speaks to the craftsmanship behind every bottle of Bezel wine – the skill, precision and experience we’ve honed through 50 years of winemaking at Cakebread, and brought to the Central Coast.

Our winemaking mission is simple, though the resulting wines complex: Seek the best grapes from the West Coast’s finest vineyards and let that region’s personality shine through in each wine. Winemaker Jane Dunkley chased her passion for world-class winemaking all the way from her native Australia to Portugal, Italy and finally, the Central Coast of California. Today she lives, works and breathes in the same spectacular spots as the grapes she crushes for Bezel. Jane’s on-the-ground knowledge of Paso Robles and the SLO Coast builds on the Cakebread team’s deep expertise to make Bezel wines the dynamic, distinctive individuals they are.

Our Pinot Noir from California’s San Luis Obispo Coast is deep and thoughtful, with layers that are well worth getting to know. Ripe plum, black cherry, and raspberry reach out first, with a whisper of cedar and a wink of baking spice. This California Pinot pairs well with others – especially the ones you love.

Winemaker Description 

The bright aromas lead with strawberry and cherry notes accented by hints of spice and toast. Round on the palate with a full finish, this wine displays rich, fruit-forward flavors and a touch of toasty oak. Enjoy this versatile wine with light red meats, pork chops or tortellini in a creamy tomato sauce.

Winemaker Description 

On the nose the wine shows spice, violets, vanilla and dark cherry. The palate is rich and full with red and dark cherry alongside hints of smoke, and spice.

Made from a blend of four Marlborough vineyards Quarters, Andahlane, Kennedys Road and including the Huia home block, this wine boasts a beguiling richness with notes of alpine strawberries, dark cherry, violets, cranberries, cinnamon, clove, hay and roasted hazelnuts on the nose with juicy acidity beautifully balanced with the generous notes of toasted oak, cherry pie, strawberries, wild thyme, marjoram, cacao and Chinese 5 spice on the palate. 

Best decanted an hour prior to enjoying.