2018 California Pinot Noir All-Americans
First Team Wines
2013 Soliste L’Ambroisie Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 98….unreal aromas of blackest cherry, Prada leather
coat and earthy funkiness….texture is as smooth as a baby’s bottom….truly glamorous and almost too good to
be true….ambrosial.
2016 Benovia Tilton Hill Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 97….gorgeous nose….freakishly concentrated
boysenberry and blackberry fruits, yet retains all of Pinot’s charms….gratuitous balance….
2016 Fulcrum Gap’s Crown Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 97….ultimate expression of Pinot’s
exuberance, encouraging contemplation and gloating….intense, sappy and lengthy finish.
2015 Littorai Savoy Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 97….aromatic goodness….sophisticated wine
that satisfies from attack to finish….possess the ephemeral Pinot quality that is the Holy Grail of vintners.
2013 Soliste Nouveau Monde Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 97….haunting aromas of potpourri and rose
petal….polished, silken and dreamy….virile finish that gives and gives.
2015 Three Sticks Gap’s Crown Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 97….sensational, persistent aromas,
bombastically flavored with majestic fruit, yet elegantly composed….astonishing.
2016 Big Basin Coastview Vineyard Monterey County Pinot Noir 96….a gifted wine….sleek and
polished….swagger and finesse in one package.
2015 Calera Jensen Vineyard Mt. Harlan Pinot Noir 96….enticing aromas….the first taste tells you this wine
is special….the satiny texture is mesmerizing….the Prima Donna among the Calera stable of wines.
2016 Masút Estate Eagle Peak Mendocino County Pinot Noir 96….irresistable aromas….terrific attack,
length and finish….you can feel the Fetzer boys’ passion in this Pinot….amazing value at $40.
2014 Soliste L’Ambroisie Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 96….aromas soar from the glass….enviable vibrancy,
boisterous, yet dances graciously in the mouth from attack to finish.
Claude Koeberle, Soliste Cellars
Second Team Wines
2016 Benovia La Pommeriae Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 95
2016 Black Kite Cellars Redwood’s Edge Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 95
2016 Dutton-Goldfield Azaya Ranch Marin County Pinot Noir 95
2016 Dutton-Goldfield Redwood Ridge Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 95
2015 Ellen Redding Marin County Pinot Noir 95
2015 Gary Farrell Martaella Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 95
2016 Gary Farrell Fort Ross Vineyard Fort Ross-Seaview Pinot Noir 95
2015 Ken Brown Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 95
2015 Littorai The Haven Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 95
2016 Paul Lato “The Contender” Drum Canyon Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 95
2016 Paul Lato “Lancelot” Pisoni Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 95
2015 Sea Smoke “Ten” Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 95
2015 Small Vines TBH Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 95
2015 Three Sticks Walala Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 95
2015 Three Sticks Cuvée Eva Maria Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 95
2016 Tongue Dancer Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 95
2016 WesMar Balletto Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 95
Ken Brown, Ken Brown Wines
Honorable Mention Wines
2014 Aether Matrix Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 94
2015 Alden Alli Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 94
2016 Benovia Martaella Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 94
2016 Benovia Bella Una Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 94
2016 Benovia Cohn Vineyard Sonoma County Pinot Noir 94
2016 Big Basin Vineyards Alfaro Family Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir 94
2016 Big Basin Vineyards Lester Family Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir 94
2015 Brooks Note Weir Vineyard Yorkville Highlands Pinot Noir 94
2015 Castalia Rochioli Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 94
2015 Calera Reed Vineyard Mt. Harlan Pinot Noir 94
2016 Cattleya Donum Vineyard Carneros Pinot Noir 94
2015 Chenoweth Green Valley of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 94
2015 Dutton-Goldfield Redwood Ridge Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 94
2016 Fulcrum Brousseau Vineyard Chalone Pinot Noir 94
2015 Donelan Cushing’s Block Barbed Oak Vineyard Bennett Valley Pinot Noir 94
2016 Dutton-Goldfield Emerald Ridge Vineyard Green Valley of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 94
2016 Dutton-Goldfield McDougall Vineyard Ft Ross-Seaview Pinot Noir 94
2016 Dutton-Goldfield Deviate Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 94
2015 Gary Farrell Gap’s Crown Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 94
2015 Gary Farrell McDonald Mountain Vineyard Clone 667 20% Whole Cluster 94
2016 Gary Farrell Hallberg Vineyard Dijon clones Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 94
2015 Gracianna Westside Reserve Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 94
2015 Gracianna Mercedes Block Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 94
2016 HIBOU Riddle Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 94
2014 Kitá Hilliard Bruce Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 94
2015 LaRue Rice-Spivak Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 94
2015 Littorai Wendling Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 94
2016 Lynmar Estate Block 10 Quail Hill Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 94
2015 Maggy Hawk Hawkster Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 94
2015 Maggy Hawk Jolie Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 94
2016 Metzker Terra De Promissio Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 94
2016 Morgan Tondre Grapefield Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 94
2016 Sojourn Riddle Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 94
2014 Soliste Grands Charmes Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 94
2014 Soliste Contrabande Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 94
2016 Paul Lato “Duende” Gold Coast Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir 94
2015 Ram’s Gate Silver Eagle Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 94
2014 Siduri Pisoni Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 94
2016 Small Vines TBH Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 94
2016 Sojourn Walala Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 94
2015 Ten Acre Jenkins Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 94
2016 Ten Acre Earl Stephen Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 94
Theresa Heredia, Winemaker, Gary Farrell
