Ripe bing cherry, black tea, crushed raspberry. Fresh rhubarb, sauteed mushroom, juicy pomegranate. Subtle lavender and potpourri, coniferous forest and briar. Singed cedar smolders above crunchy leaves, slowly fading into bright and fleshy red fruit driven by Santa Rosa plum and wild cranberry. Lively with surprising mineral tension, gradually revealing nuances of basalt, iron, and silt. Cardamom and nutmeg mesh pleasantly with allspice and table salt in another layer of complexity. This 2016 Freestone Hills Pinot Noir by Sonoma Coast Vineyards is expansive and terroir expressive Pinot from a unique subregion.

Freestone is a small unincorporated town located west of Sebastopol and just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean along the Sonoma Coast. Tight rolling hills, narrow windy roads, dense coastal forests, and the occasional grazing cattle are about all that can be observed from driving through this stretch of Sonoma County. Although once thought to be too cold to ripen grapes, the area surrounding Freestone is quickly becoming a hot spot for high quality vineyard sites. This bottling, crafted by Sonoma Coast Vineyards, is composed of 100% Pinot Noir sourced from a few select vineyards in the hills of Freestone. It was blended specifically to exemplify the unique terroir of this growing zone and does so magnificently. Pristine and pure California fruit takes center stage yet is matched in equal parts by forest and earth. This is lively and energetic while remaining complex and introspective. Excellent stuff.