2018 Hartford Court Pinot Noir Far Coast Vineyard
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The 2018 Pinot Noir Far Coast Vineyard comes from a site not far from the Pacific Ocean, in the Sonoma Coast AVA, and it's one of the bigger, richer wines in the lineup in 2018. Deeper ruby-hued, with a stunning nose of ripe mulberries, Bing cherries, candied strawberries, spring flowers, and orange blossom, this is a spicy, medium to full-bodied, impressively concentrated Pinot Noir. Despite being from a cooler vineyard, it brings plenty of richness and sexy fruit, with a certain exotic character. I've always loved this cuvée (although I've always thought the Chardonnay was slightly more successful), but this might be the finest vintage I've tasted to date. Count me impressed. It's going to have 10-15 years of prime drinking. It's one of the finest Pinot Noirs in this report.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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The 2018 Pinot Noir Far Coast is fabulous. It is also one of the very finest wines I have ever tasted from Hartford. Inky and so expressive, but not at all overdone, the Far Coast dazzles from start to finish. Red/purplish berry fruit, licorice, espresso and cinnamon all flesh out over time, and yet it is the wine's balance that is so compelling. What a wine.
The 2018 Pinot Noir Far Coast Vineyard was aged for 16 months in French oak barrels, 39% new. A little closed to begin, with coaxing it reveals notes of warm black cherries, black raspberries and kirsch plus touches of mossy tree bark, cumin seed and fragrant soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers an impactful expression of red and black berry layers with loads of savory accents and a solid frame of fine-grained tannins, finishing long and earthy. 340 cases were made.