2023 Walt La Brisa Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Walt La Brisa sits on California's Sonoma Coast, where San Pablo Bay fog and Petaluma Gap wind sculpt pinot noir into something bright, spiced, and age-worthy. Francis Mahoney purchased Las Brisas Vineyard in 1996—former dairy land—and began planting in 1997 on an old stream bed of decomposed sandstone, silt, gravel, and black clay. He built freshwater and recycled-water ponds to solve boron issues in the well water, and the vineyard has been delivering expressive pinot ever since.

The 2023 vintage was remarkably cool and late. Record winter storms left aquifers full and vines healthy. A cool spring pushed budbreak and flowering late, accompanied by wildflower super blooms. Mild summer temperatures allowed vines to set a generous crop with strong canopy growth, and when warm weather arrived in fall, it pushed ripeness to completion at exactly the right moment. The resulting wines are deep, vital, and built to age.

This blend is anchored by Bob's Ranch, rounded out with Gap's Crown and select grower partners across Sonoma. The winemakers used whole cluster to accentuate each site's character, and the result is true Sonoma Coast pinot: deep, earthy aromatics, concentration and depth on the palate, bright fruit and supple tannin on the finish.

In the glass, the wine bursts with vibrant cherry, strawberry, and mulberry, accented by toasted spice and dried herb. Plush texture and forward fruit are balanced by cool-climate acidity and subtle oak influence. The finish is fresh and savory, with smooth tannins and lingering black tea nuances. A pinot that drinks well tonight and will reward patience through the next decade.