Candied cranberry, pine needle, tart pomegranate. Wild raspberry, sea spray, red currant. Wet mushroom and peat moss, shaved cedar and cardamom. Nearly-ripe red cherry dances gracefully & poetically among dainty flowers in the midst of a towering forest. Wintergreen converges with crisp ocean air with intense focus and clarity. High-toned and bright yet wispy and lean. This 2015 Elk Prairie Vineyard Pinot Noir by Joseph Jewell Wines is an absolutely incredible offering from Humboldt County.

Humboldt County is a vast yet sparsely populated region along California's north coast. Agriculturally this area is known primarily for another cash crop other than grapes. Humboldt County sits at the southern base of the Pacific Northwest and experiences significantly more rainfall than most of California's other winegrowing zones. Terrain here is mountainous and heavily forested, and significant maritime influence keeps temperatures mild. This bottling, crafted by Joseph Jewell Wines, shows that perhaps the wine industry has been sleeping on what might be one of California's best terroirs for Pinot Noir. This wine is packed full of unbelievably bright red and white fruit and backed by impressive acidity. Soil and savory notes burst into frame immediately as underlying saline minerality brings freshness. Coastal California Pinot Noir has thrust it's way into international fame and Humboldt County may just be the Golden State's next big thing.