2021 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

The 2021 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast pours a semi opaque ruby/purple and reveals expressive aromatics of pressed violets, black raspberry, and fresh earth. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with notes of crunchy ripe berries, dusty soil, and tea leaf, it has wonderful purity, ripe tannins, and a fresh lift of acidity on the finish. This is a fantastic entry to the wines of Rivers Marie and offers a ton of value. Drink 2023-2028. 1200 cases were produced. Owned by Thomas Rivers Brown and Genevieve Marie Welsh and based in Calistoga, Rivers Marie specializes in single varietal, single vineyard expressions of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon. One of Sonoma's most prolific winemakers and consultants, Thomas Rivers Brown grew up in South Carolina and later went on to work at Turley before carving his own path forward. I met with Thomas and Will Segui, the assistant winemaker, at the Calistoga winery this May to taste the wines for this report. Having been hit incredibly hard in 2020, their 2021s are showing even better than I could have anticipated from last year’s barrel samples. These are some of the best wines I have ever tasted from Rivers Marie, with exceptional balance and finesse.