PINOT NOIR ASCENDANT

THE LATE-RUNNING 2023 VINTAGE DELIVERS AGEWORTHY WINES AT THE HEIGHT OF QUALITY

- BY JAMES MOLESWORTH

Boom. That's the sound of the mic drop capping the 2023 vintage for California Pinot Noir. Run, don't walk, to stock up on these wines. They're that good.

The 2023 Pinots are defined by a wide spectrum of fruit, from red and blue to black and purple, matched by a vivid display of floral and savory aromas. Underneath the flavors runs finely beaded acidity delivering mouthwatering succulence. Although not as densely structured tannin-wise as the 2021s, the '23s are equal in quality, offering a captivating persona along with range and detail. They also have the potential to age.

"In my 40 years of work here, this one lines up with the best I've ever seen in Pinot Noir," says Mark Aubert, whose quartet of 2023 Pinots all earned classic ratings of 95 points or higher on Wine Spectator's 100-point scale, led by the Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast CIX 2023 (97 points, $125).

The 2023 CIX perfectly encapsulates the character of the vintage, packing in an admirable amount of bright fruit in the form of raspberry, cherry and mulberry notes, while sparkles of anise, sassafras and rosemary provide savory, juicy lift and cut. There's a suave gloss of toast, with enough energy and fruit to burn on the youthfully compact but mouthwatering finish.

The wine should cellar beautifully for at least a decade.

The 2023 vintage is especially compelling because it's the rare year in which classic quality resulted from less-than-ideal conditions. Yet despite the lack of an easygoing growing season, producers found ways to overcome the challenges, relying on their experience and hindsight as well as increasingly conscientious farming practices. The season's absence of extreme heat was also a factor in their success.