2016 Big Basin Vineyards Pinot Noir Coastview Vineyard Monterey County 750 ml

Perched at 2,200 feet just a few miles from the Pacific, the Coastview Vineyard produces Pinot Noir as exquisite as any of the marquee California sites that go into $80-$100+ bottles—and Bradley Brown’s 2016 Big Basin Vineyards Pinot Noir Coastview Vineyard Monterey County proves it. With 95 points from Jeb Dunnuck, the Coastview sits alongside the unqualified best of the West Coast at about half the price. 

When we tasted the garnet-hued ‘16 Coastview, we were seduced by its aromas of white flowers and crushed berry fruit, and the palate of dried cherries and pomegranates marked with square-jawed mineral cut. With multi-layered spice riding on a backbone of fine tea tannins, this is what the California Coast does best—from a winemaker on a fast-rising trajectory, and a grown at a soon-to-be superstar site of California. 

Bradley made just 355 tightly allocated cases of this wine, and we locked in as much as we could for Wine Access members. For a first-class cellar-worthy California Pinot that rubs shoulders with the priceless Pinots of the Golden State, there’s no dollar better spent.

Antonio Galloni has raved that Bradley “crafts some of the most compelling, small-production artisan wines in California’s Central Coast,” and the budding superstar’s search for exquisite site-specific Pinot took him to the godfather of Central Coast Pinot. He approached Gary Franscioni—proprietor of ROAR wines and the farmer of the renowned Garys’, Rosella’s, and Sierra Mar Vineyards—for Pinot from one of his celebrated sites. Gary told Bradley that the grapes were spoken for, before tipping him off about a breathtaking site just across the valley. 

Bradley contacted proprietor John Allen, who took Bradley up to the vineyard. They ascended the winding road that John’s ranch hand Tony had carved into the mountainside with an excavator. Finally, they arrived at the Coastview Vineyard to see sheep grazing placidly in the immaculate rows, and positively stunning views of the surrounding mountains. Perched precariously above the Salinas Valley and Chualar Canyon, everything—from Monterey Bay, the Salinas Valley, the distant Mount Harlan AVA—was visible from Coastview.

That was a more than a decade ago, and Bradley’s Coastview Pinot Noir is now hitting a crescendo: The 95 from Dunnuck makes it the highest-rated Big Basin red ever. It was grown on two organically farmed blocks that sit on decomposed granite and limestone soils, which promote the bright acidic verve that inspired Dunnuck to call the Pinot “vibrant” and “poised.” The north- and east-facing exposition makes for slow, even ripening, amplifies the aromatics, and enhances the silky mouthfeel. 18 months in 40% new French oak makes for beautifully interwoven toasted notes in the finished wine. 

A superstar of tomorrow who’s producing wines that compete with and top some of the biggest stars of today. That’s the kind of wine we love to bring you, and Bradley Brown’s 2016 Coastview is one we can’t wait for you to taste. We’ve got a sliver of an allocation, so act fast.