Flowers Winery Sea View Ridge Estate Pinot Noir 2023
(Sonoma Coast, California) - [DM 97] [JD 95+] [WS 92]

About the Winery:
Over 25 years ago, Flowers Vineyards and Winery pioneered the growing of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on the rugged coastal ridges of the extreme Sonoma Coast. Joan and Walt Flowers had a simple goal, to make exceptional wine that captures the wild beauty of the land and the spirit of the Sonoma Coast. 

Perched on top of soaring coastal ridges that border the nearby Pacific Ocean, the winery's estate vineyards, Camp Meeting Ridge and Sea View Ridge, rise to impressive elevations from 1,150 to 1,875 feet. 

About The Wine:
Pungent coastal aromas pinpoint the source of this Pinot Noir—high-elevation ridges juxtaposed with the mossy, rocky shoreline of the Pacific Ocean. Bright, salty notes on the nose conjure a fresh sea breeze, while cool loam and wild botanicals evoke the evergreen forest nearby. Red cherry and vivid wild strawberry pop on a singularly expressive palate, filling the mouth with firm but fine textures. A distinct vein of iron-rich minerality unspools under intriguing layers of orange peel and bergamot tea, all coming together in a vibrant, lingering finish.

Winemaker Notes

VINTAGE 
The 2023 vintage started cold and damp, teeing up a classic growing season reminiscent of decades past. With vines deep in dormancy, December and January saw generous rain that replenished the soils throughout the property. Consistently cooler temperatures and more rain in March gave way to our latest bud break on record. Temperatures warmed quickly through May, but a strong marine layer and late June bloom impacted crop levels, reducing yield. Mild temperatures and foggy days throughout summer kept growth consistent, letting the fruit steadily and slowly develop. Early October sunshine brought out near-perfect ripeness and flavors in the fruit. Our harvest took just three days, culminating on October 7, a full month later than in 2022. That extra hang time amplified the fruit’s wild coastal character, resulting in savory, high-acid wines. 

WINEGROWING
On a remote coastal ridgeline edged by dense evergreen forests, Sea View Ridge delivers the energy of vineyards 1,400 to 1,800 feet above the Pacific Ocean, with sightlines down the rocky coast for miles. Powerful natural elements—piercing sunlight above the fog line, winds whipping off briny tidepools below, and shallow, rocky soils—combine to produce intensely aromatic, bright, and concentrated wines. With generous skin in relation to juice, berries yield firm, mountain-inflected tannins, tempered into elegant, fine-grained textures by fractured red rock soils. Coast and forest, cool and earthy at once, shape the character of Sea View Ridge Pinot Noir.

Ratings & Reviews:

97 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"A beautifully bright and intense red in the glass, the 2023 Sea View Ridge Pinot Noir walks around floral aromas, vibrant fruit, and coastal savoriness. Aromas of wild fennel, fresh pine, and wildflowers rise from the glass, followed by red, crunchy berries and a splash of pomegranate juice. As with most of Flowers’ single-vineyard wines, there’s a whisper of salinity, a natural reflection of the vineyard’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Nothing dominates; instead, each element weaves together quite nicely. Winemaker Chantal Forthun uses just enough oak (25% new French) to frame the fruit, adding a gentle polish to the palate. Already drinking beautifully in its youth, it’s also a wine worth cellaring to revisit in a few years. (ACQ)

95+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Pouring a medium red color, the 2023 Pinot Noir Sea View Ridge Vineyard is perfumed and savory, with cranberries, brambly fresh herbs, briny earth, and floral perfume. The palate is focused and medium-bodied, with a refined feel with fine tannins, a refreshing even spine of acidity, and a light saltiness on the finish. This fantastic Pinot Noir is only going to improve with another year or more in the bottle."

92 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Offers an alluring mix of gently mulled cherry and raspberry fruit carried by the vintage’s succulent acidity, while light savory, tea, sandalwood and blood orange pith notes fill in the background. Drink now through 2030. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 1,900 cases made."