Aubert 2021 Pinot Noir “UV-SL” Sonoma Coast, 98 Points

98 Points TWI (Lisa Perrotti-Brown): “The 2021 Pinot Noir UV-SL was bottled in mid-July 2022. Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, it storms out of the glass with powerful notes of mulberries, black cherry compote, and wild blueberries with hints of raspberry leaves, crushed stones, and underbrush plus a hint of cardamom. Full-bodied, concentrated, and seductive, with beautifully velvety tannins and a lively backbone, it finishes long, with loads of floral notes coming through. It is named after one of Sonoma’s most reputable vineyard managers, Ulises Valdez Sr. (UV), who passed away recently. The vineyard is situated on Stoetz Lane (SL), only six miles from the Pacific Ocean, up on the hills around Graton and Occidental. Aubert and Valdez Sr. collaborated on the planting of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir here. These Pinot vines were planted in 2006. Drink 2023-2038”

98 Points James Suckling: “This is so open with black cherry aromas jumping out of the glass with orange peel coming out. Black ink. Iodine. Oyster shell. Asian plum sauce. Mille-feuille. Medium to full body. Compacted palate with layers of fine tannins..”

96+ Points Robert Parker Wine Advocate: “From a site close to Occidental, just five miles from the ocean, the 2021 Pinot Noir UV-SL comes from what is presently Aubert’s coolest site for Pinot Noir, and it’s the one with the most volcanic soil influence. There are a substantial 1,200 cases of this beauty, which kicks off with notes of alpine strawberries and lovely, almost garrigue-like notions. It’s delicate yet also the most generous and full-bodied of the three Pinot Noirs, with voluminous, silky tannins and terrific length and elegance married to a tense, wiry structure and intense fruit. Wow. Drink 2025-2045 (Dec 2022).”

96 Points (Vinous): “The 2021 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is the darkest and most potent of the Pinots. It offers up copious dark cherry, plum, mocha, new leather and licorice. The 2021 possesses tremendous breadth and resonance. There’s plenty of power, but also the vibrancy that is increasingly a signature here. This site, planted with 8 different clones of Pinot Noir, yields a wine of notable textural intensity. Drink 2024-2033 (Jan 2023).”

Winemaker Notes: “The 2021 UV Pinot Noir is punchy and expressive, leaping out of the glass with wild strawberry, blackberry, and bright red plum fruits. The aroma is lifted by a bouquet of fresh violets and lavender, counterbalanced by an earthy and sweet terracotta minerality that echoes the brick-red clay soils of the vineyard. Mouthwatering acidity and supple tannins carry these complex aromas and flavors for a long, persistent finish. The suggested drinking window is 2024 through 2036.“