RAEN Pinot Noir "Royal St. Robert Cuvee" Sonoma Coast 2022
(Sonoma Coast, California) - [JS 98] [DM 97] [VM 94] [JD 94]

Ratings & Reviews

98 Points - James Suckling:
This is amazing on the nose with dried strawberries, sandalwood, mahogany and tea leaf. Iron and rust underneath the fruit. Dried flowers, nutmeg and rose petals. Full-bodied yet agile and energetic with layers of fine dusty tannins. Entrancing finish. Give this four or five years in the bottle, but it’s hard not to drink.

97 Points - Decanter:
Raen uses all whole clusters across the red wines. The smoky aromatics and pungent floral aromas of this wine are about the microflora of the vineyard. All native yeasts, unfiltered and unfined, with 10% new oak, crushed violets and stone, andsmoky clove aromas. Dark fruits that dance lightly across the tongue. Black tea, and pomegranate pulp are brighten by a squeeze of blood orange. The finish is lifted by white pepper and Chinese five spice. Seafield and Bodega vineyards comprise this wine dedicated to Robert Mondavi. (Tasted from bottle 15225.) Drinking Window: 2024 - 2039


94 Points - Vinous:
"The 2022 Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert is striking. Vibrant and savory, the 2022 marries notable fruit intensity with strong floral, earthy and savory top notes. Bright red-toned fruit, orange peel, cinnamon, star anise and cedar lift from the glass. Deep and dense, yet also wonderfully crystalline, the 2022 is lights out. What a wine." -AG (1/2024)

94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
The 2022 Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert comes from a ten-acre vineyard on the Sonoma Coast and pours a rich ruby hue. It reveals lovely, perfumed notes of framboise, mossy earth, tea leaf, and roses that lead to a medium-bodied red that’s pure and elegant all the way through, remaining pure and complex, with fine tannins and a lovely, balanced spice through the elegant finish. It’s fantastic now but will drink well over the coming 8-10 years.

Carlo and Dante Mondavi founded RAEN in the West Sonoma Coast AVA with the goal of finding California Grand Cru-equivalent sites in the Freestone-Occidental area. Melanie McIntyre is leading the way as winemaker of this Pinot Noir-focused estate. The winery is located two miles from the ocean, and their wines are vibrant expressions of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In the vineyard, they practice no-till farming and work beyond the requirements of organics, working toward eliminating the use of all chemicals in the vineyards. The 2021 vintage introduced the first cuvée of the Chardonnay Lady Marjorie, an homage to their grandmother and intended as the counterpoint to the Royal St. Robert tribute of Pinot Noir. All of the Pinot Noir production in the cellar sees 100% whole clusters going into fermentation, unless there are any issues with mold or further selection is needed.

The 2021 Vintage received 95 Points, Rank #4 Top 100 of 2023 - Wine Spectator:
"Beautifully defined, with pinpoint damson plum, mulberry and blood orange notes stretched out over a frame of rooibos tea and savory accents. Mouthwatering through the lengthy, unadorned finish, which relies on tension and purity. Drink now through 2032."