2014 Reuling Vineyard Pinot Noir 750 ml

“Weight Without Heaviness” at Sonoma’s Blue-Chip Reuling Vineyard

The Sonoma Coast’s magnificent Reuling Vineyard was selected and planted in 2000 by Tim and Jackie Reuling, but it’s fair to say that cult winemakers Mark Aubert and Peter Michael helped put it on the map. The Reulings dedicated 12 acres to Pinot, using Calera and two “suitcase” clones from one of Vosne-Romanée’s most famous Grand Cru vineyards; 2.2 acres were seeded with a Chardonnay clone from an iconic plot in Montrachet.

Tim and Jackie had a hunch about the elite potential of this Sonoma site. The soil was sandy Goldridge, stressing the vines and leading to low-yields and superb concentration. Perched at 250 feet elevation and facing west, the vineyard saw cleansing maritime wind and cold coastal nights, a recipe for ultra-ripe Pinot Noir braced by high-toned vibrancy.

Robert Parker bore that hunch out — and then some! In his estimation, the 2007 Aubert Pinot Noir from Reuling was “one of the most provocative California Pinots made in our times,” pulling down 98 points. The 2005 Aubert Chardonnay off Reuling Vineyard was “one of the top half dozen or so Chardonnays I have ever tasted from California,” meriting a jaw-dropping 99 points. Peter Michael was meanwhile ripping it out of the park with his “Le Caprice” Pinot, also made from Reuling fruit. As Reuling’s acclaim grew, so did the bottle prices. Today you’ll find most Aubert or Peter Michael Reuling wines going for $150-$200.

Starting in 2013, the Reulings began releasing their own wines. They brought on rising superstar Matt Taylor — “one of California’s most gifted emerging winemakers,” according to Antonio Galloni. With a winemaking philosophy shaped by his time at Domaine Dujac, Joseph Swan, and Araujo Estate, Taylor would invest Reuling’s wines with his trademark style, embracing biodynamic viticulture, whole-cluster fermentation, and a motto of making wines that have “weight without heaviness.”

The long, warm 2014 vintage in Sonoma County fit that philosophy to a T, lending Reuling’s Pinot exquisite purity and tension. Wine Enthusiast went wild for this wine, lobbing on 94 points and naming it a “Cellar Selection.”

The 2014 Reuling Pinot Noir is dark ruby to the rim. Explosive, youthful aromas of raspberry, dark loam, and rose petals tinged with sweet herbs and cherry. Broad, rich, juicy, and ultra-concentrated on entry, with a luscious crushed-red-fruit core. This is a classic Pinot Noir from one of Sonoma Coast’s most brilliant sites.

$70/bottle on fine wine retail shelves — on the off chance you can find it. As good as Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir EVER gets today on WineAccess.