I started drinking more Pinots a couple years ago when my wine consumption started getting a bit higher. Dark and rich California Cabernets are not easy to drink all the time! I used to think I don’t like Pinots after only trying a few California (mostly Russian River Valley) Pinots that can be jammy and with a specific characteristic I can’t pinpoint. But discovered Pinots from cool climates (i.e. Oregon, Burgundy, West Sonoma Coast) can be pretty different. While I have yet to find a Russian River Valley Pinot I love, I’ve been drinking a lot more Pinots from Burgundy, Oregon, and parts of Sonoma, specifically West Sonoma Coast region.
West Sonoma Coast is a fairly new AVA approved in 2022 and while I’m still exploring more, I’ve been very happy drinking them :) Here’s the list of wines and wineries I’d recommend
Occidental: Gorgeous setting and tasting room, 100% de-stemmed whole berry fermented fresh Pinots
Cobb: Small tasting room in downtown Sebastopol, great Pinot, Chardonnay, and Riesling
Peay: I haven’t been to the winery/tasting but love their wines!
Copain: Beautiful tasting area with a vineyard view, also has a great food pairing
Small Vines: Lovely vineyard views, great wines from meticulously grown estate vineyards
Littorai: One of my favorite Pinots but I didn’t LOVE the tasting experience. Felt a bit rushed and impersonal but great juice!
Most of them are small family owned wineries, which I also love! Other wines that I’ve heard great things and are on my list to try are Wayfarer, Senses, Ceritas. Follow along on IG @fine.vining as I explore more wineries and find hidden gems!
