2016 Latitude 38 Pinot Noir Private Reserve Sonoma County 750 ml

A few months ago, we gathered for an al fresco dinner at Napa’s Bistro Don Giovanni with half a dozen newly-released wines. Our buddy threw in a mystery bottle from his winemaker friend and waited for our opinion. We summed it up in one word before opening the menu: Wow. 

Plush tannin with cherry pie and vanilla mingled with a tinge of wild herbs on the mouthwatering palate, it was California sunshine in a glass. Most of us first guessed it was Kosta Browne’s coveted Russian River Pinot Noir, and were shocked when we revealed the label to find a textbook Sonoma Pinot with all its layered complexity for less than a third of the price of Kosta Browne. 

Before we finished the bottle, we traced down the contact for the incredible 2016 Latitude 38 Pinot Noir Private Reserve Sonoma County. Despite our begging, the winemaker had already promised the limited release to local restaurants. But thanks to our network, we were at the top of the list when inventories went unpurchased, allowing us to lock in a Wine Access exclusive at 47% off—a baffling $16 a bottle. 

This recently kindled project is in the style of Sonoma Pinot Noir that pushed producers like Kosta Browne ($105) and DuMOL ($75) to international stardom. As one sommelier at a  Michelin-starred restaurant puts it, the 2016 Latitude 38 Pinot Noir has “an exciting mix of sappy red fruit character and savory, spicy tones… Ripe strawberries, raspberries, and rhubarb all leap from the glass.” This wine was becoming the secret weapon for wine country restaurant lists, and we expect it to continue to take off when it’s back in circulation. We discovered it with perfect timing, which allowed us to lock in our allocation of this incredibly high-quality wine at a ridiculous value price. 

Latitude 38 refers to the parallel that famously drenches vines in sunlight, bearing abundant fruit, whether in Sonoma, Napa, or Athens. Like clockwork, fresh Pacific air gets sucked over Sonoma county around 4 pm every day, slowing down the ripening and gifting us with magical complexity and scrumptiously textured Pinot Noir. 

Everything about this wine over-delivers, including the vintage. Winemakers across the board rave about the charming fruit and perfect growing season from 2016. As Antonio Galloni from Vinous remarks, “Simply put, 2016 is one of the most consistently brilliant and alluring young vintages I have ever tasted in Sonoma.”

For a wine that fooled a group of wine experts into thinking they were drinking Sonoma’s top Pinot, the Latitude 38 Reserve is reaching far beyond its price point. This case-drop-worthy steal will upgrade your everyday wine to a new asset class.