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For the first time, the iconic Hirsch Vineyards has allocated the release of their flagship San Andreas Fault Pinot Noir ($78). And it's no surprise why. 2021 marks not only the most successful vintage for Sonoma Pinot Noir in the 21st century but also the best-ever bottling of this wine.
 
Hirsch sits half a mile from the San Andreas Fault line. With 34 vineyard blocks comprising the eponymous cuvée, this signature blend is the ultimate snapshot of place. As David Hirsch notes, the fragmentation is unmatched even by the famously subdivided vineyards of Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits. The result is a wine exploding with fresh red cherry, strawberry, and mint notes that segue into a precise finish with dark chocolate, orange skin, and dusty minerality.
 
Driving the winding road from downtown Sonoma to the property at the far edge of California’s coast is a rite of passage. I was lucky enough to work one ridgeline over at Failla’s Estate Vineyard, and I can tell you, despite the acclaim of the Pinot Noirs, the extreme Sonoma Coast’s rugged terrain remains built for a few. David was the first to plant Pinot Noir here in 1980, and the location remains completely remote. 
 
Producing wines of consistent ripeness and grace in a marginal climate like this one is no easy feat, especially when the grapes are known for having formidable tannins. And yet, that is precisely the tall task that daughter Jasmine Hirsch and Consulting Winemaker Michael Cruse have accomplished.
 
The style has changed throughout the last twenty years since David built a winery and began putting Hirsch Vineyards on his own label. Today, they have opted for 100% de-stemming across the board and about 30% new oak for this particular cuvée. Again, 2021 is the most successful version of Hirsch’s San Andreas Fault Pinot Noir, and in a vintage where the entire lineup has received “perfect” praise.

 

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