2023 Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes
The 2023 Fort Ross Pinot Noir is a study in vibrancy and structure. Its expressive bouquet brims with freshly picked red cherry, rosehip, and crushed stone, lifted by a wisp of coastal salinity. The palate offers a lithe core of tart plum, raspberry, and forest floor, all heightened by brisk acidity and velvety tannins.
Wine Specs
- Aging:
- 11 months in French oak; 30% new
- Bottling Date:
- August 2024
- Cases:
- 919
Vineyard Notes
The 2023 harvest season began later than usual, but the results were exceptional. Record-high winter rains revitalized the soils, promoting healthy vine growth and robust canopies. Cooler temperatures throughout the spring and summer provided the grapes with conditions to develop gradually, allowing for extended ripening time. This cool and late season brought refined and elegant wines with great acidity. As the season progressed into October, a brief window of warmer weather pushed the grapes to reach ripeness. This combination of factors—ample water supply, cool growing conditions, and a warm, dry finish—culminated in a harvest that promised exceptional wines. The 2023 vintage exhibits remarkable balance, complexity, and depth of flavor, reflecting the meticulous care and favorable conditions of the growing season.
Reviews
96 Points
Pouring a ruby red color, the 2023 Pinot Noir Fort Ross-Seaview is ripe on the nose with notes of black raspberries, pressed flowers, sweet sage, and forest earth. It’s medium to full-bodied, with a compact structure, savory mineral accents that frame the palate, fantastic, elegant length, and a good tension. Drink 2026-2040.
—Audrey Frick, Jeb Dunnuck