Barely-ripe Bing cherry, rose petal, fresh rhubarb. Juicy cranberry, oolong tea, tart pomegranate. Wild strawberry, blood orange, and raspberry cola gracefully collide with mint leaf and cherry blossom in a delicately perfumed yet deeply fragrant display. Layers of sage, rosemary, and wild poppies further bolster herbal and floral complexity while hints of forest floor and tree bark unveil pristine organic delight. Impressions of crushed basalt, marine fog, and sandy loam reveal compelling suggestions of terroir that are enhanced by a mild dusting of anise, nutmeg, and citrus spice. Pure, elegant, and beautifully feminine in character; exhibiting outstanding finesse and restraint while remaining expressive, lifted, and ethereal. Medium in body with soft yet substantial tannin and gorgeously elevated acidity. This 2018 "Mizu No Oto" Dona Margarita Vineyard Pinot Noir by Kanpai Wines is an impressively captivating, cerebral, classic red from the west Sonoma Coast.

Although Sonoma County's Russian River Valley is known for producing some of California's most plush and decadent iterations of Pinot Noir, the coastal vineyards just to its west often shape wines that are significantly more delicate and restrained. This bottling, crafted by Kanpai Wines using Pinot Noir sourced from the Dona Margarita Vineyard northwest of Freestone, is an outstanding example of the west Sonoma Coast's incredible and inimitable terroir. This wine exhibits a medley of outstandingly pure, crunchy, and vibrant fruit yet is driven primarily by an ambrosial bouquet of bright flowers and fresh herbs. Its natural earthy undercurrents softly chime in to add complexity while still allowing for dynamic youthful characteristics to shine. This is an extremely well executed offering that brilliantly represents of one of California's most interesting cool climate terroirs.