Reviews
Technical Details
- WinemakerRoss Cobb
- CountryUS
- RegionCalifornia
- AppellationSonoma Coast
- VineyardDoc's Ranch Vineyard
- Farming MethodSustainable Practices
- OakFrench oak (30% new oak).
- Aging/Cooperage20 Months
- Alcohol13.9%
- Production328 cases
Cobb Pinot Noir Doc's Ranch Vineyard Pommard & 114 Selection Sonoma Coast 2018
Ground shipping included on 3 or more bottles!
If you love California coastal pinot noir, and don’t know Cobb wines...boy, are you in for a treat! 96 POINTS, with fruit from the pristine Doc’s Ranch out on the extreme Sonoma Coast. This was only the second vintage for Cobb, as they signed a long-term farming contract in 2017 to make this a part of their ultra-special Sonoma Coast estate! Drink it now or 15 years from now, or anytime in between, and one thing is guaranteed...you’re gonna love this!
Doc’s Ranch is named for the road where the original Swan planting resides – only about two blocks from the heart of the Cobb estate, called Coastlands. When Ross Cobb signed a long-term contract to farm this vineyard and make Doc’s Ranch a part of the Cobb estate in 2017, the vineyard was divvied up by clones – with a natural pairing of Pommard and 114, showcased here, versus the California heritage pairing of Swan and Calera.
This is a profoundly bold and enticing young pinot – that is perfect to enjoy right out of the bottle now...and yet, still whispers the promise of a long and beautiful life to come – for the right soul who has the temperance of a saint! Vibrant and expressive from the moment it hits the glass with aromas of a tart cranberry relish, and blood orange, then raspberry and bramble leaves, followed by rose petals and lavender, with accompanying flavors of sour cherries, pomegranate molasses, and black tea, with light mineral accents of iron and copper, enveloped by a rich earthiness that showcases forest duff and woodsmoke, with a salty sea air tang on the finish. Wow! 22 months in barrel with 30% new French oak is noticeable but hardly dominant, the high acid/low alcohol wine ensures that its true character is unbound – in an exceptionally powerful way for the sometimes delicate wines of the extreme Sonoma Coast. The vineyard's elevation on a ridge at 1,100 feet, and its proximity of only three miles from Bodega Bay may have something to do with that, but whatever alchemy is responsible – one thing is certain – this is remarkable! Only 325 cases made, and typically offered only to club members and sold direct...we’re thrilled to have any of this… especially at our exceptional price!
PAIRING IDEAS: I opted for a whole side of King salmon – roasted hot and fast over raging hot hardwood coals with the skin side exposed (and salted and scored ahead of time to get extra crisp). I served it with a squeeze of lemon, a healthy few cracks of fresh pepper, atop a mountain of arugula dressed with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Simple preparations for the win!