Marnet Pinot Noir McDougall Ranch Sonoma Coast 2023

“The 2023 vintage is notably focused, with excellent depth, concentration, and energy. Aromatics of pine forest lead into a fleshy, creamy mid-palate layered with cranberry and black cherry fruit, balanced by vanilla and clove nuances. The wine is framed by superb tension and poise, making it a standout expression of the site.” – 95 points, Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter

This is seriously gorgeous. The kind of Pinot that would go for $125 if it came from a well-known brand. So it’s a very smart buy – a 95 point bottle with insider pedigree for only $30 on two or more. You know we love a Thomas Rivers Brown protégé, and Marnet founder Daniel Ricciato is giving us the voluptuous layering you tend to find with star pupils of America’s most-awarded winemaker. Daniel is now TRB’s right-hand man, as grower relations manager for 100+ sites, which means he has his pick when sourcing small lots of fruit for his personal label. 

He pulled this Pinot from McDougall Ranch, which is at 1,000 feet elevation on the Sonoma Coast. If you stop for clam chowder at Cafe Aquatica on Highway 1 in Jenner, go 12 miles north to Fort Ross, then turn a few miles inland into the redwoods, you’re there. It’s a sought-after pocket – top producers like Marcassin, Flowers, Hirsch, and Martinelli have long sourced fruit from the area.

In the glass, this is laser-focused with black cherry, black raspberry, and tangy strawberry, with spice and cream and a woodsy edge. There’s structure and tension, but also richness and generosity. It has the wow factor – after all, 2023 is one of the most acclaimed growing seasons in recent memory.

Ricciato leans minimal in the cellar: native yeast, some whole clusters in the fermentation, low sulfur, no additives. The result is precise, creatively expressive, and truly of the land. Serious site, serious training, serious score, serious deal! This will be one of your favorites.