2012 Ceritas Pinot Noir Costalina
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Tasting notes
The 2012 Pinot Noir Costalina is bright, focused and vibrant in the glass. Sweet red cherries, spices, mint and cranberries are all nicely lifted and delineated. Today the acidity is quite pronounced, which gives the wine much of its pulsating energy. I imagine the Costalina needs another 6-12 months in bottle to truly show at its best. Still, it is pretty delicious today. The 2012 is a blend of fruit from Hellenthal, Elliott and Occidental Road.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Bright red. Heady aromas of candied red berries, cherry and Asian spices, with a zesty mineral quality adding vivacity. Bitter cherry and strawberry flavors put on weight with air and pick up a subtle floral element. Finishes emphatically spicy, with silky, even tannins. Quite suave already but I'd bet on this wine aging well on its balance.
The 2012 Pinot Noir Costalina brings together many of the best elements of the Ceritas house style. Sweet, silky tannins provide the backdrop for a core of expressive, floral-infused red fruit in a Pinot that is accessible and built for near-term pleasure. The 2012 is a blend of fruit from Hellenthal and Escarpa. I tasted the Costalina after all of the vineyard designate Pinots and it did not suffer at all from that placement, which is super-impressive, to say the least.
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.