2021 Ceritas Pinot Noir Occidental Vineyard
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Tasting notes
The 2021 Pinot Noir Occidental Vineyard is an absolutely riveting wine. Soft, plush tannins wrap around a core of red berry fruit, blood orange, rose petal, mint, wild flowers and lavender. Sensual and racy, with mind-blowing balance, the 2021 is magnificent. Bright saline accents linger on the explosive finish. The 80% whole clusters are pretty much buried. Don't miss it.
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Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
A deep ruby hue, the 2021 Pinot Noir Occidental Vineyard takes on a lot of the qualities of the Annabelle and amplifies them. Offering notes of blackberry, black raspberry, fresh and pure herbs, rocky earth, and black cherry as well as a sanguine minerality, it also delivers a haunting mineral note that’s almost impossible to put into words. Drink 2025-2040. Helmed by founder John Raytek, Ceritas was established with their first vintage in 2005. Today, 14 wines are produced from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon, all from dry-farmed historical sites poised to channel the style the team wants to create. Each of the sites is farmed organically or biodynamically. Initially focusing solely on what is now the West Sonoma Coast, in 2011 they expanded their reach to the Santa Cruz Mountains, and most recently to Moon Mountain and Napa. In 2015, they moved into a new barrel room in Healdsburg, where they operate today. Having no investors or partners in the project allowed John and his team to experiment and only bottle wines they wished to produce. From a winemaking perspective, they strive for minimal intervention in the cellar. Their oak selections are sourced from two coopers and utilize a light toast from selections with a tight grain. The wines express a pure, focused style that will appeal to those who seek tension and precision. Recent news from the estate includes the acquisition of key Chardonnay holdings in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, which I eagerly anticipate. Additionally, the public can now visit the winery in the heart of Healdsburg for tastings by appointment via their website.
About the producer
Created in 2005 by John Raytek, Ceritas is one of California’s most exciting producers. The project is focused on making single-site wines from Northern California’s coastal regions, largely Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.