2018 Sojourn Cellars Pinot Noir Rodgers Creek Vineyard Sonoma Coast 750 ml

This ruby Pinot is our latest obsession, and an absolute steal for those who move quickly with the trigger finger today. Sojourn’s Rodgers Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir is a wine Jeb Dunnuck singled out for its "rocking perfume" of sweet red fruits and wildflowers. An incredibly rare find at less than 50 bucks, especially when you consider the prices of its 95-point competition like Failla ($90), Paul Hobbs ($85), and Domaine Della ($150).

Normally this release is reserved for their mailing list, but thanks to Wine Access members’ longtime support of Sojourn we have a handful of cases available direct from the winery’s cool cellars.

In the glass, this 2018 exudes the Sonoma Coast’s elegant, earthy signature with scents of wild mushroom, chamomile tea, and baking spice that harmonize with dried cherry, cranberry, and wild raspberry. Extremely cleansing and energetic on the palate, this is Pinot Noir as it should be—vibrant, energetic, and alive.

Sojourn Cellars has been making waves since releasing their debut Pinot Noir in 2004, so it’s no surprise the 2018 release continues to push founders Erich Bradley and Craig Haserot further into the vinous stratosphere. The Wine Advocate alone has handed them more than 25 scores of 93 points or better—just in the past decade. And Robert Parker has called their Pinot Noirs "outstanding wines that merit attention." 

Dunnuck also rightly praised 2018 in Sonoma County as having "everything I look for in a great vintage." And in Bradley and Haserot's hands, the greatness of the vintage—and the greatness of the vineyard—shine as brightly as anything we've seen, in a wine that offers a ripe, multidimensional snapshot of the season.

In 2009, the San Francisco Chronicle picked out Rodgers Creek Vineyard as one of "California's best lesser-known vineyards." Today, that same site is a jewel in Sonoma's crown, producing some of the most seductive Pinot Noir in America. Seated in the heart of the Petaluma Gap, California's newest AVA, Rodgers Creek boasts a unique highland terroir yielding Pinot Noir that combines Burgundian cut with a sun-kissed California core. 

While the vineyard sits far above the surrounding valleys, it's still in the marine climatic zone. Warm in the spring and fall, the Pacific fog holds a band of cold air against the hillside throughout the summer, blocking the sun's harshest rays (Pinot has thin skin!) and allowing the fruit to hang deep into the season. Volcanic soils help drain all that foggy moisture, creating more competition among the vines, yielding only small amounts of beautifully concentrated berries. 

These conditions lead to wines with both density and agility: lip-smacking red bramble and orange zest with judicious amounts of clove and cardamom spice structured on fine-grained, black tea-like tannins. The special Pommard and 777 clones bring their own twist on the varietal character, adding distinct touches of earth and game. 

Our customers already know and love this site. Ramey makes a superstar Syrah from Rodgers Creek, a Wine Access member favorite. But the lion's share of the vineyard is planted to Pinot Noir, and Sojourn takes full advantage of its epic southern exposure.

Their single-vineyard 2018 is another stunner that takes down the titans of the Sonoma Coast, with 95 points and an astonishing $48 price.