Medium ruby color; dark fruits, black tea, black cherry, plum, raspberry, blackberry, cranberry, earth, oak, violet, clove, pepper on the nose and palate.
Dry; amiable tannins and good balancing acidity. Medium-plus to full bodied. Soft texture in the mouth. Fleshy and broad in a particular Sonoma coast style that contrasts with etherial efforts from Willamette Valley. This is the heavy, dark fruit side of pinot noir, which is preferred by some, shunned by others, and accepted by still others who can find value in both styles. 14.2% ABV
Ram’s Gate expression of cool-climate pinot. Grapes come from five vineyards in four AVAs—37% Green Valley, 34% Sonoma Coast, 20% Russian River Valley, 9% Carneros. The 2021 vintage had below-average rainfall, resulting in densely concentrated flavors. In this case, dark fruits and a certain heaviness. The winery chose to do 25% whole-cluster fermentation to boost freshness. Fermented in small, open-top fermenters.
The website notes: “The Ram’s Gate ownership team is led by Managing Owner Michael John, a San Francisco private equity investor and wine collector, with strong ties to the wine industry in addition to being active in environmental improvement efforts; Jeff O’Neill, the owner of O’Neill Vintners and former Chair of the Wine Institute; Paul Violich, a well-known Northern California investor and agri-business leader specializing in walnut and almond plantings; and Peter Mullin, a businessman and passionate wine grower who owns a 15-acre estate in Umbria, Italy, where he grows Sagrantino and Sangiovese grapes. Ram’s Gate Winery is the realization of their shared passion for fine wine and commitment to land stewardship.”
Hands-on management is interesting. From the website: “Taylr Behnam Cuneo is Managing Director for Ram’s Gate Winery. While she has always held a passion for the art of pairing a delicious meal with high-end wine, today she oversees not just the Ram’s Gate culinary program but the winery operations and hospitality, as well.
“A California-native, Taylr graduated with a business degree from Loyola University Chicago in 2007. Immediately following, she pursued her passion for culinary arts and graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in 2010. Fueled by a desire to explore how wine and food can interact, Taylr found herself drawn to wine country. She was among the first members of the Ram’s Gate team when she joined as Sous Chef in 2011 and by 2012, she transitioned to Executive Chef. During her tenure, she helped build the winery’s state-of-the-art culinary program. With her background in business and management, along with her can-do attitude and willingness to tackle any challenges that come her way, she climbed the ladder and became Managing Director of Ram’s Gate Winery in 2017. Taylr believes that, like wine, building a legacy brand takes time and patience, and is motivated by a desire to see Ram’s Gate constantly catapult to the next level.”
Joe Nielsen is the director of winemaking. Website notes: “Following nearly ten years at Donelan Family Wines in Santa Rosa, Joe became Director of Winemaking at Ram’s Gate in 2018 and spent his first year focused on digging into the soils of Ram’s Gate and falling in love with the estate. ‘Coming to Ram’s Gate, I feel like I’ve been given a pile of gold and silver and they’re asking me to make jewelry,” says Joe. “I have everything I need to make great wines that are complete, complex and compelling.’”
Ram’s Gate Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021 offers the heavier, dark fruit side of pinot noir. Densely concentrated flavors as a result of lack of rainfall. One quarter of grapes whole-cluster fermented to encourage freshness and ameliorate the earthy, brooding nature of the fruit from five vineyards and four Sonoma AVAs. A find if you enjoy the bolder, heftier California style. Pair with pork dishes—grilled pork chops or pork tenderloin. Veal. Roast chicken, duck with cherry sauce. Grilled salmon with herb crust, seared tuna with sesame crust. Mushrooms; mushroom risotto, roasted butternut squash, grilled eggplant. Cheese—brie, camembert (classic pinot noir cheese pairing); triple-cream cheese—brillat-savarin, St. André; gruyère, gouda, parmigiano-reggiano, aged cheddar, époisses, taleggio. $52-60
