2023 Flowers 'Sea View Ridge' Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Sea View Ridge delivers the energy of vineyards 1,400 to 1,800 feet above the Pacific Ocean, with sightlines down the rocky coast for miles. Powerful natural elements—piercing sunlight above the fog line, winds whipping off briny tidepools below, and shallow, rocky soils—combine to produce intensely aromatic, bright, and concentrated wines.
Resiny notes of redwood and fresh coriander seed meld with savory nori and lichen on the nose, while the fruit on the palate moves from the vibrant red of pomegranate and wild cherry to dark blue mulberry, lingering with warm anise and herbal fennel.
The folks at UC Davis said it couldn’t be done. When Walt and Joan Flowers saw a newspaper ad for 321 acres of land on the Sonoma Coast, just 2 miles from the Pacific Ocean, they were immediately intrigued, but took pause. Only a few families – the Hirsches and the Bohans – were successfully growing grapes in such a cool part of California. Thankfully the Flowers ignored the ‘experts’ and planted Camp Meeting Ridge in 1991, so named for its history as an indian encampment and later, a site for religious retreats. Today Flowers is known for making some of the finest Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in America.
Jeb Dunnuck
Pouring a medium red color, the 2023 Pinot Noir Sea View Ridge Vineyard is perfumed and savory, with cranberries, brambly fresh herbs, briny earth, and floral perfume. The palate is focused and medium-bodied, with a refined feel with fine tannins, a refreshing even spine of acidity, and a light saltiness on the finish. This fantastic Pinot Noir is only going to improve with another year or more in the bottle. Drink 2026-2040.