Talley Vineyards "Stone Corral Vineyard" Pinot Noir 2023
(Arroyo Grande, Central Coast, California) - [DM 95] [VM 94+]

About the Winery:
Talley Vineyards is located in the San Luis Obispo Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA) which is recognized as the coolest AVA in the state of California due to its direct proximity to the cold Pacific Ocean.  Within the San Luis Obispo Coast, there are two smaller AVAs, the Arroyo Grande Valley and the Edna Valley, and the winery owns vineyards and farms in both valleys.  The cool climate of the area, coupled with calcareous clay and shaly loam soils, makes it ideally suited to grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Talley Vineyards’ specialties.

The story of Talley Vineyards began when Brian Talley's grandfather, Oliver Talley, began growing specialty vegetables in the Arroyo Grande Valley in 1948. In 1982, his son Don Talley, planted wine grapes on a rolling hillside parcel unsuitable for vegetable farming. Four years later, in 1986, he and his wife Rosemary founded Talley Vineyards.

About the Wine:
Once a rugged pasture where cattle grazed, Stone Corral Vineyard is now one of the most distinctive Pinot Noir sites on the San Luis Obispo Coast. This cooperative vineyard is a rare collaboration between three wineries—Talley, Stephen Ross, and Kynsi—each crafting its own expression from this singular site. Nestled in the heart of the Edna Valley, just four miles from the Pacific Ocean, Stone Corral benefits from the region’s long, cool growing season and sandy clay loam soils, producing Pinot Noir with deep color, plush texture, and remarkable complexity.

The 2023 vintage tells the story of a season shaped by nature, beginning with over 49 inches of rain—more than double the annual average—leading to healthy vines and abundant yields. This year’s wine is a vibrant expression of Stone Corral, balancing rich cranberry and tobacco notes with a bright, tangy structure. As farmers of this exceptional vineyard, we take pride in nurturing a site that continues to define the elegance and depth of Edna Valley Pinot Noir.

Tasting Notes:
Aromas of cranberry, rhubarb and mushroom lead to flavors of cherry, smoke, strawberry and fennel. The finish displays delicate red fruits and fine tannins.

Ratings & Reviews

95 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"Eric Johnson's winemaking and the Talley estates' delightful terroir combine for a wine that combines sauvage notes with refinement and elegance. Aromas of dried lavender and Mediterranean scrub announce the savoury core of this Pinot Noir from the former grazing pasture now known as the Stone Corral Vineyard. Notes of ocean air and tobacco leaf keep the aromatic show going. The palate is loaded with complex flavours, as fruit takes a back seat to wild meadow herbs, dried thyme and rich, salty minerality. It's almost visceral in its complexity." - Clive Pursehouse (Mar 2025)

94+ Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2023 Pinot Noir Stone Corral Vineyard opens with a strikingly expressive nose but remains tightly wound on the palate. Tense and slightly nervy, it opens with funky, herb-inflected reaspberry fruit but quickly closes i on itself. Salty acids and a hint of blood orange sizzle on the long, precocious finish. This needs time." Billy Norris (Aug 2025)