2020 Laguna Ridge Pinot Noir

Formerly labelled as the Kistler Vineyard, the 2020 Pinot Noir Laguna Ridge Vineyard is fleshed out with classic Russian River Valley appeal with cola, black cherry, and forest floor. The palate is structured with underlying tension, and notes of raspberry liqueur, orange peel, and turned earth.

The 2020 Pinot Noir Laguna Ridge Vineyard was originally scheduled to be picked the night of August 17, but the pick was canceled due to the lightning storm that started hundreds of wildfires across California. Instead, it was harvested the following evening, August 18, before smoke began to threaten vineyards in Sonoma. The fortuitous timing resulted in this wine, offering singular expression, power and definition. Medium ruby-purple in color, it has layered scents of crushed cherries, blood orange, lilac and sage with botanical undertones. The medium-bodied palate is concentrated and silky, with seamless acidity that highlights its spicy accents and a very long, layered finish. Wow!

The 2020 Pinot Noir Laguna Ridge is one of the highlights in this range from Kistler. It offers up generous red/purplish fruit, lavender, sage, rose petal, mint, spice and hard candy. There's a good bit of exuberance, or at least as much as it was possible in 2020. Here, though, the fruit was picked a day later than originally intended because lightning strikes began the night before.