Ceritas, Escarpa Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

A beautiful example of restrained Sonoma Pinot Noir 15 years from vintage. Full, rich bouquet of red and black cherry, spice, and a touch of orange rind. Integrated tannins lead the way for good overall balance on the palate and the finish. My first mature Ceritas pinot and validating of the purchase those many years ago.

2010 vintage

Somewhat disappointing. A bit clumsy and syrupy. Not bad, just not exciting.

2010 vintage

Darker ruby, barely translucent. Nose of fresh cut raspberry, cherry pits, full blown violets, cinnamon, hints of iron, damp cellar. Pure notes of dark cherry and red raspberry on the palate with just the right amount of piquant plum, iron particles, and for lack of a better description, slightly smudgy savory earth to provide complexity. Softened tannin and bright acidity leading to a long finish of deep reaching red fruit, brier, and satisfying grip. Scintillating wine caught in its early …

2010 vintage

What a beautiful wine. The nose is highly perfumed and floral. The first sip reminded me of those European Raspberry/Blackberry candies. While these descriptors may sound like an exaggerated or overblown sweet wine, this was anything but. The aromas and flavors were intoxicating, and the balance of fruit, tannins, acid and alcohol was perfect. Still mostly primary, and nowhere near its apogee. Maybe my favorite California Pinot experience to date.

2010 vintage

Beautiful. Still a lot of flavor and balanced. Excellent complex finish. Been drinking too many wines recently that have lost some flavors I’ve missed. This still had it and aged.

2010 vintage

Ruby red. 12.8% ABV. Ever more powerful notes of red cherries, cranberries, cinnamon, potpourri and roses jump out of the glass. Light- to medium-bodied in the mouth, with earth, minerals, orange rind and strong acidity that is seemingly everywhere. Packs quite a punch, yet is very graceful and light on its feet. This is in its early drinking window, and is very enjoyable already. A memorable Pinot Noir! 95.

2010 vintage

Beautiful and complex. Opened for an hour with a glass poured off. Hit stride after 3 hours. Loved the progression. 2020 for the last one sounds good.

2010 vintage

Dark cherries, roses, and aromatic herbs, especially rosemary, are present in the aromatics. Medium-bodied but really packs a punch on the mid-palate, with loads of dark fruits, minerals and strong acidity. Very long on the finish, with some very fine tannin still present. My sense is that this wine is very early in its drinking window, but is likely to improve, perhaps considerably, with additional cellaring. An outstanding Pinot Noir! 94+.

2010 vintage

The 2010 Escarpa's aromatics consist of cranberries, black cherries, earth and minerals. It is medium-bodied, with no sense of heaviness or overextraction, and powerful cleansing acidity. Some tannin is is still to be found on the finish, and I suspect that the wine might benefit from 2-3 additional years of cellaring. That said, it is certainly in its early drinking window. It is slightly austere for my tastes, but a very good wine nonetheless. 92.

2010 vintage

Really opened up from last bottle a year ago. Plenty of fruit but still structured.

2010 vintage

Very nice showing. Dense, savory and silky. Plenty of gas left in the tank to make it several years before an apogee.

2010 vintage

Popped and slow ox'd for 45 mins. Very aromatic nose of black cherry, baking spices, roses and violets and pomegranate. Very fresh and ripe on the palate with red fruit flavors and spice but restrained and balanced at the same time. Medium+ acid, medium tannins, light to medium body. Fantastic Sonoma Coast pinot that is delicious on its own and with food.

2010 vintage

Slow ox'd before dinner for 4+ hrs. and consumed over next 4.5 hrs. Ruby red hue. Terroir-driven and fruit-forward with notes of mineral, tart raspberry, strawberry and cranberry, spice, and earth. Mid-bodied with chalky tannins, loads of crisp sharp acidity and ends with a dry moderate finish. Has laser-like focus, but needs more time to flesh out, IMO.

2010 vintage

Acidic, some fresh strawberry flavors. I am just not a fan of early picked fruit. Another In Pursuit of Balance winery. California wineries trying desperately to be French wineries. Just not my thing. But, to each they own as the Bible say, or was that the Enquirer?

2010 vintage

Popped and poured. Medium ruby color. Nose of mulberry, red raspberry, cinnamon, rock, violets. Medium bodied but intense on the palate, showing layers of raspberry, ripe red plum, iron flecks, and iodine. Great transparency of fruit. Freshening acidity and firm but not overbearing tannins. Long finish of crushed red fruit laced with grip and stone. Already fun to drink, but will age nicely.

2010 vintage

Earthy and delicious. Drinking nice now but still has some nice tannic structure on the back end, so should continue to age well.

2010 vintage

1 hour decant.

2010 vintage

Unfortunately, horribly corked.

2010 vintage

Decanted for one hour. Darker ruby hue. Nose of anise, licorice, cherry blossom, stone, a bit of wet earth. Brooding, deceptively smoothed layers of dark raspberry and black cherry fruit laced with iron flecks coursing on the tongue with serious tannins and bracing acidity nicely in balance. Long finish of primary blue fruit and satisfying stony grip. Very young wine, outstanding for its purity and verve.

2010 vintage

Decanted 2 hours.

2010 vintage

This one was all dark red and black fruits with baking spice emerging after being open a day. Acidity was present but not pithy like the Ceritas chards; still made a nice pairing with King Salmon. Overall, this one was still a largely backward wine; hoping to resist opening another for several years.

2010 vintage

12.8% alcohol. Medium dark ruby. Very expressive, mostly red fruit aromas. Raspberry and black raspberry with mineral and spice overtones. Nice depth and length. This wine should continue to improve for at least 5+ years. Very nice!

2010 vintage

Vibrant rouge and violet color which is impressive on its own. The nose is super expressive and explosive. Raspberry and a sappy red fruit mineral infused palate and aromatics make this wine perfect for a summer lunch.

2010 vintage

Fairly dark in the glass, this wine has opened up..lots of red and dark fruit light on the palate. Perfect balance of acid and hint tannin long finish. This is still a baby and could be a really great bottle in a few years.

2010 vintage

This wine is still very young, the color is dark and vibrant, the nose is of fruit and earth but the tannins are still very dominant and while I could tell the structure is very sound and I can sense the complexity, the fruit is hiding in the background. Give this at least five years before opening.

2010 vintage

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Ceritas, Escarpa Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

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