Martin Ray Pinot Noir Mardikian Vineyard Sonoma Coast 2023

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From a single site just five miles from the Pacific coast, this 2023 Pinot Noir from the pioneering Martin Ray Winery collected 95 points from James Suckling and is loaded with intricate layers and a texturally rich body.

Martin Ray was a pioneer of California winemaking, getting his start in 1943 in the Santa Cruz Mountains at what is now Mount Eden Winery, where he crafted single-varietal wines with a Burgundian approach until 1972. Almost 20 years later, in 1990, Courtney Benham bought the brand with a commitment to the same artisanal production started by Martin, but moving the facility to Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley. Now the winery sources immaculately farmed grapes from their own 12-acre estate, as well as top Santa Cruz, Napa, and other Sonoma Coast vineyards.

These grapes come entirely from the low-yielding Mardikian Vineyard, located just five miles from the Pacific Ocean to receive both an ample blanket of morning fog as well as solid afternoon sun. This maritime climate extends the growing season and imparts savory elements like forest floor, salty sea air, and wild herbs into the wine’s profile. The vineyard overlaps three AVAs – Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley, and Green Valley – and is a source for several top-notch producers, including Ram’s Gate, MacPhail, and Hess Persson, among others.

This decadent 2023 Pinot Noir brings with it both juicy fruit and savory earthy qualities that will endlessly please the most devoted of Sonoma Coast Pinot-files. A luscious cacophony of dried cherries, black raspberries, hibiscus, pencil lead, cremini mushrooms, and damp forest floor dance through the air and across the palate with touches of salinity and minerality, accented by supple and smooth tannins. This wondrous bottle of Pinot Noir from a historic producer easily commands its original price – but for this price, with free shipping? That’s something we could all use a bit more of, but there isn’t much so don’t wait long!