95-Point Pinot Noir at 40% Off

2022 Ernest Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $35) $19.95

95 points Decanter: "This is a wonderful wine from Grand Vent, Cleary Ranch, the Michael Valentine vineyard from the Freestone Valley, and a Laguna vineyard that supplies the Swann clone. Red and black fruits are concentrated with stem inclusion, giving the wine a tremendous savoury backbone. The palate is redolent of cloves, red berries, and early-season black plums. (CP)" (02/2024)

Ryan Woodhouse | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 03, 2024

The scores don't lie on this one, this is truly top-notch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir sourced from some of the very best vineyards in the region. The core of this wine comes from Cleary Ranch in the coastal town of Freestone. The site is just 7 miles from the ocean, is one of the coolest in California. It receives daily fog and cold winds meaning the daytime highs rarely exceed 75 degrees. The vines grow in Goldridge soils and produce tiny clusters of intensely flavorful fruit. The next element of the wine comes from the aptly named Grand Vent Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap. This extremely windy, exposed, hillside vineyard sits at the mouth of the Petaluma wind gap, a break in the coastal range that allows cold air and fog to funnel in from Bodega Bay. The extremely long, moderate growing season here allows for wonderful flavor development and physiological ripeness without high alcohol. The third element of the wine comes from a little further inland in the Russian River Valley. Winemaker Joseph Ryan takes the ultra-cool climate fruit from Freestone and blends it with a parcel of Swan Clone Pinot Noir from the Laguna Ridge sub-region. This small area, home to iconic producers such as Joseph Swan and Kistler, produces powerful, rich, Pinot Noir that perfectly complements the more elegant, floral, high-toned fruit from the coastal sites.

The resulting wine is stunning, one of my favorite expressions of true Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir I've tasted in many months, and absolutely unbeatable at our Insider's Advantage price. There's literally no other Pinot Noir in the store that I can recommend over this for the price. A perfect blend of pristine forest berries, black raspberry, alpine herbs, hard ground spices like nutmeg and clove. The bright, crunchy floral tones on the attack morph into some richer dark cherry fruit on the mid-palate, with sous bois, and leaf litter savory elements, too. Layered, complex, and ultimately delicious. The wine has a fine balance that really shows off the quality of fruit and winemaker's deft and dexterous skills weaving the elements together so seamlessly. This is set to be a huge favorite here at K&L for staff and customers alike. I have already recommended this to many people with great feedback and have bought some for my own enjoyment over the next few years, it's just too good to miss.

Scott Beckerley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 23, 2024

The first thing that I noticed about this wine was how dark it is. Much darker than the usual garnet colour that you see on a Pinot Noir. This may explain the scents of black raspberry and boysenberry fruit wrapped in floral scents of roses and violets. In the mouth, expansive without actually being "big". The cherry and dark cranberry fruit also has a nicely fine acidity and light savory herb background. It's also very easy to drink!

Alexandre Tweedie | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 16, 2024

Ernest's '22 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is an absolute joy to drink - out of the glass with Classic Coastal scents of dried herbs, cellared seeds, and cool ocean-swept field fruit - Caraway kernels, cardamom & orange zest oat cookies, touches of sun dried brown soil all move elegantly across the nose, leading the way for a delicious palate of bright mountain cherries and coastal berries, a hint of tomato leaf savor shines through from the stem inclusion, finishing to tingly, gravely sense of minerality. It can sometimes feel challenging to find a Sonoma Coast Pinot under $30 that actually tastes and smells like the Coast, yet here Ernest is with an honest, delicious, and incredibly affordable bottle of Pure Sonoma. Lovely!