95 POINTS
  • 2020 Laniger Vineyard Pinot Noir
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2020 Hallberg Vineyard Pinot Noir

2020 Hallberg Vineyard Pinot Noir

Sonoma Coast750ml 14.1

Best known for its cool climate and proximity to the Pacific Ocean, the “True” Sonoma Coast is considered the far western edge of the coastline. This challenging extreme cooler coastal climate h...

Best known for its cool climate and proximity to the Pacific Ocean, the “True” Sonoma Coast is considered the far western edge of the coastline. This challenging extreme cooler coastal climate has vineyards competing with fog, wind and ocean breezes to ripen fruit, and is renowned for its distinct Pinot Noirs.

  • Alcohol 14.1%
  • Vintage 2020
$70.00
$70.00

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Specifications

  • Vintage: 2020
  • Region: Sonoma
  • Appelation: Sonoma Coast
  • ABV: 14.1
  • Varietal: Pinot Noir

Tasting Notes

Elegant and refined, this Pinot Noir is lithe, perfumed, and intriguing, with more savory and nuanced characters, exhibiting aromas and flavors of wild bramble berry fruits, including black cherry, black raspberry, and rhubarb, supported by lifted notes of fragrant floral violet, black pepper, and sweet oak spice. Juicy and mouthwatering with an earthy minerality that shows on the finish, with chewy, fine-grained tannins, and a core of crisp acidity. Contemporary in style and perfectly classic in its expression of the cool Sonoma Coast.

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Expert reviews

95 POINTS

“Lots of energy with subtle notes of spicy chocolate, rose stem and dried strawberries. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a succulent finish. Red fruit in the finish. Fruit tea." - James Suckling

The Vineyard

GRACE BENOIST RANCH

Fruit for this wine was selected from the Hallberg vineyard just outside Sebastopol. The vineyard features Goldridge Sandy Loam underlain with Sebastopol Sandy Clay Loam soils on gently rolling ridge tops and enjoys beautiful sunny afternoon weather tempered by fog and cooling coastal breezes from the Pacific, about 20 miles away. The vineyard is dry farmed, without irrigation, and sits just 200 feet above sea level. Dry-farming helps the grapes achieve full physiological ripeness at lower sugar levels, with more complex taste components in heightened balance. There are 11 different Pinot Noir clones planted in various blocks throughout the vineyard, which is actually in three growing regions: Green Valley, Russian River Valley and the Sonoma Coast.

Process

The 2020 vintage

  • Winter

    The 2020 season is considered another successful vintage, despite being remembered for factors beyond the typical harvest season. It was a warm, dry winter and the rain and cooler weather didn’t arrive until the end of March.

  • Spring

    While the mild spring season was a great early start, our winery working conditions had extensive safety protocols due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

  • Summer

    Summer brought very cool mornings and very warm days, but then harvest was interrupted by wildfires across California, which came as grapes started to be picked, and we were very fortunate that none of our vineyards were in the areas of the active fires.

  • Harvest

    The red wine harvest started in late August, with the wines showing excellent development in cellars, reflecting the fine vintage year.

Crafted Excellence

Winemaking

Crafted with the same minimal winemaking techniques as Etude’s celebrated Carneros Pinot Noirs, each regional wine purely reflects the unique essence and character of its regional vineyard and still maintains Etude’s hallmarks of aromatic intrigue, vibrancy of expression and depth in ageability. The Hallberg Vineyard Pinot Noir underwent cold maceration in small lot open-top fermenters with extended time on the skins and including a small number of whole clusters. The wine is aged in French Oak with a small percentage of new barrels.