Argot 2023 Pinot Noir “Bastard Tongue” Sonoma County 97 Points

IWR 97 Points: “The 2023 ‘Bastard Tongue’ is an utterly delicious Pinot Noir from Argot. It is both vibrant and expressive, with lifted aromas of raspberries, dark cherries, and sweet cranberries woven together with notes of lavender, dried violets, baking spices, tea leaf, and mossy notes that remain persistent throughout. On the palate, it reveals a mouthwatering core of juicy red/dark fruit wrapped in supple tannins, with a gorgeous silky texture that speaks to its finesse. What sets this wine apart is its freshness—bright acidity energizes the layers of flavor, giving the wine a lively structure and a clean, extended finish. It’s a Pinot Noir that balances depth and elegance with remarkable complexity. This is already drinking excellent today, however,r should continue to drink beautifully for at least another decade.”

FMW 97 Points: “This Bastard Tongue is riveting, and reminds me of amazing Grand Cru Burgundies. This wine is striking, bursting from the glass with aromas of wild berries, grilled game, dark chocolate, cinnamon, and violets. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, lush, and yet elegant, with a bottomless core of fruit, rich but supple tannins, and a long, muscular finish. This wine is the rock star of Sonoma County Pinot Noir that delivers the goods. Drink it any time over the coming 8-10 years.”

Winemaker Notes: “In 2023, an extravaganza of purple flowers laces the classic BT nose you have all come to know and love—explosive red fruits (distinctly strawberry), cool pine forest, loamy underbrush, five-spice (anise and fennel), and bakers chocolate. This wine marches down the palate with red-fleshed strawberries, Luxardo cherries, and a hint of blood orange. An other-worldly texture envelopes this core of fruit, amplifying its vibrancy while swirling out a barrage of its complexities—raspberry, lilacs, sassafras, green tea, cinnamon, and mocha—satisfyingly of a piece. As the finish spins into infinity, the fruit profile evolves from red to black, crescendoing on the palate’s persistent lift of sweet and floral spice notes.  Magnificent, and not soon to be forgotten…

One additional note: due to the wonders of the 2023 growing season, in the cellar, this edition of Bastard Tongue will develop a silkiness of texture rarely experienced in Pinot Noir. Bury a few deep in the cellar, and thank us a few years down the line .”