Ceritas Hellenthal Vineyard Old Shop Block Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2020

Description

Ceritas is a stunning producer of very cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from sites along the northern Californian coast. Led by husband and wife duo, John and Phoebe Raytek, the wines are not typically Californian. These are stylistically extremely delicate and fine-boned, the perfume is alluring and the filigree tannins I have routinely only found in Burgundy. These are wonderful Pinots for the cellar and would be magical in the home of any serious collector of Pinot Noir.

In the late 1970’s Gard Hellenthal and David Hirsch began looking for vineyards north of Cazadero in the hills facing the Pacific. After securing a land piece of land just to the east of Hirsch Vineyards, Gard planted the original vines at Hellenthal Vineyards. Two plantings went in – Old Shop Block and Elliott. Ceritas are fortunate enough to be the sole winery sourcing fruit from the oldest vines on the property, affectionately known as the Old Shop Block.

This site captivates us for several reasons. The soil is comprised of a mixture of fractured sandstone and highly decomposed sandstone soils, which provide ideal grounds for Pinot Noir. Second, these dry-farmed vines are home to own-rooted Calera clone – the only own-rooted vines that Ceritas farms- which allows a direct translation from the soil to the vine. Most importantly, the wine bears forth-great earth concentration, bright red fruit, and lingering tannins.

The 2020 Pinot Noir Hellenthal Old Shop Block is bright and nicely focused. Crushed red berry fruit, spice, cedar, tobacco and dried flowers all open in the glass. The 2020 is a very pretty and effusive wine. It perhaps lacks the mid-palate depth of the very best years, but it was made from only two of the three parcels that typically go into the blend. The third parcel, the last to ripen, is used to add weight to the wine, but that fruit was compromised by fires in 2020. 93 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous