RAEN Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Royal St. Robert Cuvée 2021

If you’re in the wine business and your surname is Mondavi, people might assume you’re making Cabernet. But the decision by some members of the clan to pursue Pinot Noir has been rewarded. Brothers Carlo and Dante Mondavi spent 10 years looking for vineyard sites in the extreme coastal areas of Sonoma; by 2013 they had made their first wine at RAEN. Now with a decade-plus of vintages under their belts, the Mondavis, along with winemaker Melanie McIntyre, have established RAEN among the vanguard of producers driving the qualitative surge for California Pinot Noir. This bottling is named in honor of the brothers’ grandfather. Sourced primarily from their Bodega Vineyard, it’s made in a brisk, lithe and fresh style, with a backbone of pinpoint acidity and marine-influenced minerality. Native yeast fermentation and ample use of whole clusters add to its distinction.

Tasting Note

Beautifully defined, with pinpoint damson plum, mulberry and blood orange notes stretched out over a frame of rooibos tea and savory accents. Mouthwatering through the lengthy, unadorned finish, which relies on tension and purity. Drink now through 2032.—James Molesworth