A solid, widely available example of Pinot Noir. We review the St. Francis Sonoma County Pinot Noir.
100% Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California. The wine is aged in French oak barrels (20% new) for 8 months.
Sample submitted for review. This wine has a SRP of $26 but is available for as low as $18.
From the winery:
2024 St. Francis Sonoma County Pinot Noir
St. Francis sources their Pinot Noir fruit from the cooler areas of Sonoma County, where cool air from the Pacific rolls in at night during the summer, dropping temperatures substantially. This natural air-conditioning is ideal for Pinot Noir allowing the grapes to develop deep flavors while retaining acidity. To capture the distinct characteristics of each vineyard, the lots are fermented separately with a five to ten day cold soak to extract optimal color and flavor. After a long, slow fermentation the wine is racked off into French Oak barrels, 20% new, where it undergoes natural malolactic fermentation followed by aging for eight months before blending and bottling.
HARVEST NOTE: The 2024 growing season started off wet with abundant rains revitalizing the soil. Cooler temperatures extended ripening and allowed the grapes time to develop deep color, varietal intensity and balanced acidity. Pinot Noir was picked in late August through early September.
TASTING NOTE: This bright, flavorful Pinot Noir shows off layers of flavors and aromas. A touch of fresh cherry, pomegranate and sarsaparilla are balanced with spicy notes of black tea, orange peel and cinnamon stick. A burst of acidity and silky texture on the finish round out this rich, yet refreshing wine.
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14.1% Alcohol
The 2024 St. Francis Sonoma County Pinot Noir opens with a pleasing aroma of red and black cherry, some blood orange and a touch of cranberry. Swirling and sniffing a bit more also reveals a little forest floor, black tea and baking spice. It’s a solid start.
Tasting the wine reveals a smooth and silky texture, that is a bit viscous. There is also lots of depth on the fruit which is almost a bit sappy. I’m a little surprised this is 100% Pinot as it tastes like it might have a bit of something else in there. Regardless, it all works together pretty well.
It ends dry, juicy, a bit tart and long with lasting blood orange notes. It was probably at its best on day 1 although there wasn’t too much of change on day 2. Overall this is pretty nice especially considering the price and that it is widely available.
2024 St. Francis Sonoma County Pinot Noir
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Review Summary
St. Francis Sonoma County Pinot Noir Review • Reverse Wine Snob
A solid, widely available example of Pinot Noir. We review the St. Francis Sonoma County Pinot Noir.
7
Pros
- 87-88 points
- Pretty nice for 100% Pinot Noir, especially considering the price
Cons
- Not super complex
