Published on April 4, 2025
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We have always maintained that some of the best Pinot Noir outside of its home region of comes from cool climate areas like Sonoma County and especially the , both of which are among the coolest wine-growing climates in the country. Carneros was once called the coldest region in California and has been prime Pinot Noir territory for years. The style here tends to be juicy with fruit flavors of strawberry and raspberry with notes of vanilla and orange peel. The is situated in the county’s northwest corner and is known for extremely elegant versions of Pinot Noir. Here we find flavors of dark cherry, red raspberry, violet petal, and dark chocolate with lifted notes of mint or eucalyptus.
We really enjoy visiting and its laid-back wineries. It’s got a totally different vibe compared to Napa and we highly recommend visiting when your travels take you to California wine country. We tasted through dozens of bottlings to come up with the seven best Sonoma County Pinot Noirs to drink right now. We hope you enjoy them as well.
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Dutton Goldfield 2022 Deviate Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Sonoma County California
Steve Dutton and Dan Goldfield started their eponymous wine company in 1998 with a gentleman’s handshake, and it’s amazing to see how much it has grown in less than three decades with 80 vineyards spread over 1,000 acres in the Russian River Valley. Steve’s father Warren began growing grapes in Russian River Valley in the 1960s, so it was destined for Steve to become a vintner. Goldfield, on the other hand, worked at Robert Mondavi Winery and Schramsberg before finding his passion for Pinot Noir as the winemaker at La Crema Winery and Hartford Court. We can tell you without a doubt the duo produce some amazing wines. Their Deviate 2022 Pinot Noir has aromas of Oolong tea, eucalyptus, cherry, and red plum with smooth tannins and flavors of cranberry, black cherry, and a touch of cinnamon in the finish.
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Small Vines 2017 Estate Cuvee Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Sonoma County California
We found a bottle of Small Vines 2017 tucked away in the bottom of a seldom opened wine cooler and paused for a moment because we both thought that it might be a bit past its prime, but boy, were we surprised. Paul and Kathryn Sloan make elegant wines using organic methods and when you visit them you feel like they have invited you into their home. Their 2017 is drinking perfectly right now and has aromas of dark cherry, red raspberry, and candied orange peel. The tannins are velvety and lead to flavors of pomegranate, cranberry, Luxardo cherry, and finely ground Chinese five spice powder.
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Boar’s View 2019 the Coast Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Sonoma County California
We were at a friend’s house for dinner recently and she pulled out a bottle of Boar’s View 2019 and asked us if it would pair well with the lamb chops she was grilling. We both nodded in agreement and told her that we have had more recent vintages of Boar’s View and really enjoyed them so yes, please open it. It was brilliant cherry red colored and totally lived up to our expectations. It had ethereal aromas of red raspberry, Luxardo cherry, and brown baking spices that transferred to silky tannins on the palate with juicy flavors of cherry cola, red currant, cedar wood, and sweet pipe tobacco.
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Cobb Wines 2021 Coastlands Vineyard Old Firs Block Pinot Noir Sonoma County California
Former marine biologist David Cobb and former advertising executive Diane Cobb were considering retirement but instead planted the vines at their estate in 1989 close to the Pacific Ocean and a California redwood forest. Their son Ross worked at Williams Selyem in the late 1990s and in 2001 he harvested a portion of his parent’s original plantings and produced 1,560 bottles of Cobb Wines Coastlands Vineyard Pinot Noir. Today the family makes wines from a variety of sites, and we really like the 2021 Coastlands Vineyard Old Firs Block. It has aromas of cranberry, red cherry, and cinnamon that open in the palate as flavors of pomegranate, cherry, candied orange peel, and brown baking spices.
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Guarachi Family Wines 2021 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Sonoma County California
Alex Guarachi was born in Chile and began his career in wine by importing Chilean and Argentine bottles into the United States. Yet, he always kept the idea of making his own wines in the back of his mind. His dream became a reality in 2007 when he founded Guarachi Family Wines with the goal of making terroir-driven selections that capture the entrepreneurial spirit and charm of the Sonoma Coast. This Pinot Noir has aromas of wild strawberry, bramble, and black cherry with silky smooth tannins and flavors of cranberry, pomegranate, and red plum.
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Merry Edwards 2022 Olivet Land Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Sonoma County California
Merry Edwards began her career in the 1970s and is regarded as a winemaking legend. Her legacy continues with two women, winemaker Heidi von der Mehden and winery president Nicole Carter, making it one of California’s premier woman-led wineries. Heidi’s 2022 Olivet Lane Pinot Noir is a stunning example of a Russian River Valley wine. It is cherry red in the glass with aromas of black cherry, red plum, and brown baking spices that morph to flavors of cranberry, candied orange peel, and finely ground cinnamon all sheathed in silky smooth tannins.
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Failla Estate Vineyard 2022 Pinot Noir Fort Ross-Seaview Sonoma Coast Sonoma County California
The first vintage of Failla-Jordan was released in 1998 and since that time winemaker Ehren Jordan enjoys working with cool climate varieties at various sites in Sonoma. In 1998 he purchased an additional plot of land and grafted the existing rootstock with Pinot Noir. Today the winemaking team sources excellent fruit from a variety of vineyards in Sonoma and has recently begun making single vineyard wines with fruit grown in Oregon’s Eola Amity AVA. This delightful Pinot Noir is made with grapes grown in the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA and offers aromas of red raspberry, red currant, and cranberry. It is medium bodied on the palate and opens with flavors of pomegranate, red plum, orange peel, and a touch of finely ground white pepper in the finish.
Authors
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Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen
Credit: robbreport.com
