Wine & Spirits - December 2021 - 89

American New Releases
93 | Kosta Browne
$115
2018 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ^ A blend
from six vineyards clustered around the Petaluma
Gap, as well as north and west to the
far coast, this 2018 is one of the more graceful
and delicate pinots in Kosta Browne's stable.
It feels brisk and airy, the wine's high-toned
mineral acidity encouraging the pretty fl oral
fragrance and lifting the sandstone detail out
of the tannins. Panelist Jamal Rayyis appreciated
the mix of cherry and berry fl avors
and their brightness: " You can taste light, "
he said. -J.G. §
93 | Kosta Browne
$175
2017 Anderson Valley Cerise Vineyard
Pinot Noir ^ Kosta Browne purchased Cerise
in 2016, the steep, west-facing vineyard 16
miles from the Pacifi c. The vines rise from
600 to 1,600 feet, the variations in altitude
spreading the 2017 harvest out over fi ve
weeks, those varied lots contributing to the
wine's earthy complexities. The bright redcherry
fl avors are rich and substantially
oaked, while marked tension and cool freshness
sustains the wine's youthful feel. Comforting
to drink now, this will age well over
the next several years. -J.G. §
92 | Kosta Browne
$200
2018 Russian River Bootlegger's Hill
Pinot Noir ^ A bold, voluminous pinot noir,
this grows on a cool site with Goldridge soils,
in the hills between Sebastopol and Occidental.
The wine developed mineral details in the
tannins and generous ripeness without feeling
over-concentrated. The fi nish is a little
tart and tarry, the wine needing a year or two
of bottle age to more fully reveal itself. -J.G. §
berry notes over dark cherry and sweet oak.
The satisfying velvet nap provides a textural
base for the bright and juicy fl avors, ending
with umami clarity. -J.G. §
90 | Kosta Browne
$115
2018 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ^ This is
the fi rst release of Kosta Browne's Anderson
Valley Pinot, blended from fruit grown
at Cerise Vineyard in the hills and the Ferrington
Vineyard at the foot of the hills north
of Boonville. It off ers the ripeness of California
fruit without tasting sweet, a dense wine
with blueberry and woodland mushroom
scents, sappy and structured. For beef with
black mushrooms. -J.G. §
90 | Kosta Browne
$200
2017 Russian River Treehouse Vineyard
Pinot Noir ^ Tarry and rich, this has an amarolike
bitterness and smoky warmth to the tannins.
The texture is velvety and generous. For
braised beef. -J.G. §
90 | Kosta Browne
$165
2018 Sonoma Coast Gap's Crown Vineyard
Pinot Noir ^ Scents of dark-roast coff ee
and touches of volatility enhance this wine's
depths of black-cherry fl avor. It's juicy and
spicy, a rich pinot that ends with the ripeness
of black-raspberry jam. For roast duck. -J.G. §
CENTRAL COAST
94 | Eden Riſt
$64
2018 Cienega Valley Terraces Pinot Noir ^
Eden Rift is a new entry emphasizing pinot
noir, with old vines in the Cienaga Valley.
Terraces comes from two low-yielding blocks
planted solely to Calera clone. Its lush raspberry
scent has a kind of briary, beetroot
depth, succulent and mouthfi lling. Simple
but robust in fl avor, this has a concentration
ideal for cellaring. -P.J.C. (500 cases) §
93 | Eden Riſt
$78
92 | MacMurray
2017 Russian River Valley Estate Vineyards
Pinot Noir ^ Boyd Morrison makes the
wines at MacMurray Ranch, blending this
one with fruit from the ranch as well as other
Russian River Valley vineyards owned by E&J
Gallo. It's a defi nitive RRV pinot in 2017, the
wine's dynamic richness layering fl oral straw2018
Cienega Valley Palmtag Pinot Noir ^
Mostly fruit from the Mt. Eden clone, this
wine is cool and dark. The oak plays a leading
role at fi rst, but starts to recede with air
as the wine turns foresty and a touch savory,
the dark cherry and strawberry fl avors borne
with a mouth-coating richness. Impressive.
-P.J.C. (250 cases) §
92 | Eden Riſt
$72
2018 Cienega Valley Reserve Pinot Noir ^
This wine's cherry-lozenge and fruit-blossom
scents are grounded by a darker, earthier
element-beetroot, bramble and plum.
The fruit is lush and forward, tethered to a
grainy texture that grounds the wine with
elegance. -P.J.C. (250 cases) §
92 | Eden Riſt
$25
2018 Central Coast Valliant Pinot Noir
(BEST BUY) ^ A great value, the label reads
Central Coast but this is 100 percent estate
grown. It's at once fl eshy and bright, with
black tea and pomegranate accents, and a
light minerality to ground the bright fruit.
Irresistible. -P.J.C. (1,000 cases) §
91 | Eden Riſt
$48
2018 Cienega Valley Estate Pinot Noir ^
Vinous and red fruited, of the six 2018s from
Eden Rift, this may be the most structured,
showing a rosy scent at a distance, and dried
cherry and strawberry fl avors. There's much
in place but it needs time; cellar. -P.J.C.
(1,400 cases) §
91 | Eden Riſt
$78
2018 Cienega Valley Lansdale Pinot Noir ^
This wine smells of the mountains where
the vines are planted-sun-warmed rocks
and black plum fl avors, along with violet
scents, giving way to iron and dust. -P.J.C.
(250 cases) §
RED BLEND
91 | Matchbook
$22
2018 California The Arsonist Red (BEST
BUY) ^ Composed of 52%petit verdot, 26% malbec
and 22% cabernet sauvignon, this channels
the mildly herbal savor of those varieties.
Scents of licorice, fennel and mace give
the impression of California Coast Range
native scrub. Adorned with dark, macerated
plum fruit, it has plenty of tannins to fi nish.
An uncharacteristically complex and exotic
quaff er-for a song. -P.J.C. §
88 | 22 Pirates
$20
2019 Central Coast Red (BEST BUY) ^ 22
Pirates is named for the 22-odd varieties
grown in the Rhône Valley, though the exact
blend here is not revealed. It's full of inky
dark-berry fruit, grainy and vinous enough
in texture to pour with barbecued chicken.
-P.J.C. §
SYRAH
91 | Tooth & Nail
$29
2020 Santa Barbara County Destinata
Syrah (BEST BUY) ^ This wine is bright and
high-toned, with mocha, black tea and nutDE
CEMBER 2021
WINE & SPIR IT S
89
http://www.macmurrayestatevineyards.com/wines/russian-river-valley-pinot-noir
Wine & Spirits - December 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - December 2021
