Description
Always reserved for placement on only the finest restaurant wine lists, we feel particularly fortunate and honored to receive small quantities of these special Hirsch Vineyards’ wines, including the signature “Andreas Fault”, “West Ridge”, and this “East Ridge” Pinot Noir.
Lying adjacent only about a half mile from the San Andreas Fault at about 1600 feet above sea level on the extreme western Sonoma Coast, Hirsch Vineyards is comprised of 72 acres, divided into 67 individual, biodynamically farmed blocks. This degree of fragmentation is unmatched even by the famously subdivided vineyards of Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits. Due to the site’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the San Andreas Fault, the vineyard has a fearsome diversity of soils, aspects, elevations and microclimates. This complexity defines the farming and winemaking practices: each block was individually developed and is now farmed, harvested and vinified separately with indigenous yeast.
The East Ridge is a topographically distinct micro-site within the Hirsch Vineyard, comprising an area of 18 acres divided into 16 farming blocks. With a steepening slope of 15 to 35 degrees, it faces predominantly east-northeast. The East Ridge Pinot Noir is a selection of the very best barrels from five of the oldest blocks on the East Ridge, planted to the heritage pinot noir selections of Mount Eden, Swan and Pommard-Wädenswil.
The East Ridge is produced 100% from the single vineyard of Hirsch.
“Powerfully fresh and crunchy, with plenty of minerality to the dried cherry and berry flavors that are backed by crisp acidity. Shows cedary notes and hints of juniper berry on the lithe finish. Best from 2022 through 2027.” – 95 points – Wine Spectator —K.M. 5/5/21