California Pinot Noir has had several recent outstanding years, but the 2019 growing season brought the grape to new heights in the Anderson Valley, Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Carneros, Santa Barbara and beyond. The grape has never achieved such high standards across the board in the Golden State, says Wine Spectator senior editor James Molesworth, who reviewed nearly 575 red wines—more than 60 percent of which received outstanding scores of 90 points or highter—for this tasting report. Many of the wines are approachable now and offer good value, while others are primed for cellaring over the next decade.
Get Molesworth's analysis and rating of the vintage, complete with producer highlights, plus scores and tasting notes for the top wines and values.
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