Lioco 2018 Pinot Noir “Laguna” Sonoma Coast

From a trio of premier Sonoma Coast vineyards: Teac-Mor, Burnside, and Bravo Toro. Pinot Noir clones Pommard, 777, 115, and 15 planted in gravelly loam soils known locally as Goldridge, in modest elevations of +/- 200 feet. Defining features of this complex region include the omnipresent Pacific Ocean, its coastal forests, and the fog-catching Laguna de Santa Rosa watershed.

Winery Notes: At the edge of the continent, a relentless sea pounds a heavily forested coast. A blanket of fog works its way inland, finding the natural channels carved out of the mountains by prehistoric rivers. The local biome crackles with life. So what happens when you plant the most site-receptive red grape in a vibrant river valley, ringed by redwoods and lorded over by the cold Pacific ocean? In a vintage like 2018, you silence those skeptical of California terroir, because this wine smells irrefutably like the place it comes from. It leads with freshly-picked coastal berries, both sweet and tart. It has a whisper of crushed seashells and pine sap. The signature notes from our friend Steven Moore’s biodynamic Teac Mor vineyard are on display too—the cranberry skin, the pomegranate, the rhubarb, the black tea, and they all seem to come from a well-tuned orchestra. Special year out here for sure

Tasting Notes: The wine offers up aromas of black pepper, rhubarb, and morello cherries. On the palate this medium to full-bodied Pinot shows flavors of cranberries, black plums, and spice box. A good food suggestion would be duck cassoulet, birria tacos, sausage + peppers.