96 POINTS | AUTEUR GAPS CROWN BOLT BLOCK PINOT 2022 ~ Selected from an unusually rocky block of the vineyard, the 2022 Pinot Noir Gap’s Crown Vineyard Bolt Block is a deep red/purple hue and displays the more savory and sanguine side of this site, which is usually more fruit forward and giving. Its rockier terrain shines and adds complexity to the wine, with notes of black cherries, crushed violets, gravelly earth, and wild herbs. Aged for 15 months in 80% new French oak, it integrates into the fabric of the wine nicely. Medium to full-bodied, this wine exhibits notable structure and a more serious character, with a more ferrous side that I particularly enjoy.
I anticipate it has the potential to age over the next two decades.
95 POINTS | AUTEUR MANCHESTER RIDGE PINOT NOIR 2022 ~ Pouring a deeper magenta/red color, the 2022 Pinot Noir Manchester Ridge Vineyard is from the highest vineyard in the Mendocino Ridge AVA, at 2000 feet elevation, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It’s aromatic of refreshing alpine herbs, sappy earth, pine, black cherries, violets, and crushed floral perfume. It has great sapidity and mid-palate richness without being heavy and retains wonderful purity. It has a long finish and is going to show well over the coming 15 years.
2022 Auteur Pinot Noir Gap’s Crown Bolt Block 96 $85
2022 Auteur Pinot Noir Manchester Ridge Vineyard 95 $85
2022 Auteur Chardonnay Green Acres Vineyard 94 $65
2022 Auteur Pinot Noir Labyrinth Vineyard 94 $85
2022 Auteur Pinot Noir Gap’s Crown Vineyard 94 $85
2022 Auteur Pinot Noir Wendling Vineyard 94 $85
2022 Auteur Pinot Noir Balinard Vineyard 93 $85
2022 Auteur Pinot Noir Starkey Vineyard 93+ $85
2022 Auteur Chardonnay Durell Vineyard 92 $65
2022 Auteur Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 91 $50
2022 Auteur Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 91 $60
SONOMA VINTAGE REPORT OF 2022 >>
Reflecting on that report, I stand behind my remarks that this vintage offers immediate appeal, with wide drinking windows, especially compared to the more structured 2021s. The aromatics lean toward attractive, fruit-driven profiles with savory nuances and approachable structures. The vintage’s top wines offer elegance, purity, and wonderful definition. In particular, the wines from the Sonoma Coast have excelled in 2022, providing some of the highlights of my numerous and extensive tastings. – Jeb Dunnuck