2021 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Platt Vineyard
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Tasting notes
The 2021 Pinot Noir Platt is a rich, unctuous wine. Black cherry, plum, gravel, spice and chocolate are all amplified. All of the natural richness of Platt is present, but not the sublime purity of the very best years. There are some slightly vegetal undertones and angular contours that aren't characteristic of the very best wines from this site. Then again, all that does is show just how magical the potential is here.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2021 Pinot Noir Platt Vineyard is savory with agave and smoky mezcal, as well as a bit of earthy game, black cherry, and menthol. Full-bodied, with a meaty texture and notes of savory herbs, pepper, ripe berries, and a bit more warmth, it’s long on the palate with broad, ripe tannins. This site has a lot of potential as they rework this land. Drink 2024-2030. Owned by Thomas Rivers Brown and Genevieve Marie Welsh and based in Calistoga, Rivers Marie specializes in single varietal, single vineyard expressions of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon. One of Sonoma's most prolific winemakers and consultants, Thomas Rivers Brown grew up in South Carolina and later went on to work at Turley before carving his own path forward. I met with Thomas and Will Segui, the assistant winemaker, at the Calistoga winery this May to taste the wines for this report. Having been hit incredibly hard in 2020, their 2021s are showing even better than I could have anticipated from last year’s barrel samples. These are some of the best wines I have ever tasted from Rivers Marie, with exceptional balance and finesse.