2021 Nightwing Vineyard 5L

95 Points: Michael Franz The Tasting Panel - July 2023

“This wine shows notably more depth and structure than this producer’s phenomenal 2021 from the Soberanes Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands, and those who value Pinots that are just a bit meatier will likely prefer it. Still, along the continuum of current California Pinots, this is still on the silky and subtle side of center, with much more expressiveness than weight. Red berry fruit is joined by a suggestion of black cherry, with lovely spice notes and a gentle tannic grip.”

94 Points: Decanter - September 2023

93 Points: Jim Gordon Wine Enthusiast - June/July 2023

“Black-fruit flavors crowd this well-saturated, well-built wine that wraps the fruit in rather firm tannins. Black cher¬ries, blackberries, and hints of mint give it great promise for drinking in the future. Best from 2026- 2032.”

93 Points: Rich Cook Wine Review Online - June 2023

“This wine shows the full throttle side of this winery’s Pinot Noir portfolio. It’s made in a big style that serves the ripe fruit well, playing deep black cherry fruit off layers of fall spice. It is fleshy, but maintains the signature long finish that marks the whole line. A light touch with the new oak (30%) was the perfect choice.”

91 Points: James Suckling JamesSuckling.com - November 2023

91 Points: Wine Spectator

The 2021 vintage delivered a moderate and consistent growing season for most of Sonoma County, leading to a smooth, easily manageable harvest. While the continuation of drought conditions led to slightly reduced yields, the overall quality and concentration of the grapes was exceptional. Nightwing is planted to many small blocks, each with unique topography and soil type, thus different clones. The majority of this wine is Clone 115 Pinot Noir from Block 23, with fruit from three other blocks planted to Pommard and clone 828 contributing complexity. We hand-harvest the grapes exactly when we wished in the cool evening hours of September 6 and 10 of 2021.

2021 marks the inaugural vintage of Pinot Noir from our new Nightwing Estate Vineyard, which is named after the indigenous nocturnal birds that keep a watchful eye on the land. Nighwing is also a nod to the original guardian of the property, Vernon Morelli, a former WWII pilot who built a landing strip amid the vineyard. Located in the acclaimed Petaluma Gap AVA, Nightwing Vineyard is perched at 1,200 feet above sea level, where it basks in cool ocean winds and long, sunny days.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 14.5%
• bottling date: 07/25/2022
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 30% new, 14% once-filled

• fermentation:

  Gently desteemed into open-top fermenters; three day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs