2022 Knuttel Family - Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Bill's Hidden Track (750ml)

Winemaker Bill Knuttel helped establish Saintsbury as a leader in California Pinot Noir and Chardonnay during the 1980s, and later helped build the reputations of Chalk Hill Estate and Dry Creek Vineyard. In 2001 he founded his own estate, and the Knuttel Family label is now a family project, with his son and daughter working beside him. Bill's Hidden Track is the family's Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir.

The fruit comes from the Sonoma Coast, a cool appellation near the Pacific where grapes ripen slowly and keep their natural freshness. The wine is aged for eleven months in French oak, which adds gentle structure and a touch of spice while leaving the fruit in the foreground. The result is a medium-bodied, fruit-forward red made in an elegant, lighter style rather than a heavy one.

Wild raspberry and ripe strawberry lead the aromas, joined by pomegranate, violets, and red plum. The palate is fresh and silky, with wild strawberry flavors, earthy and tea-like nuances, and a hint of candied cherry. Integrated tannins and crisp acidity carry through to a finish touched with baking spice. Focused and bright, it is a charming, easy-drinking Pinot Noir.