2019 Ceritas, Cuvée Annabelle, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California, USA

Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or. Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.

Ceritas is a family-owned winery in California that produces small quantities of handcrafted wines. The winery is known for its focus on terroir-driven Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, sourced from vineyards in Sonoma, Mendocino, and Santa Cruz counties. The owners, John and Phoebe Raytek, have a deep passion for wine, and their goal is to produce wines that express the unique qualities of the vineyards where they are grown.