2018 Styler Pinot Noir Wildcat Mountain Vineyard Sonoma Coast 750 ml

It’s easy to see why Styler’s Wildcat Mountain Pinot Noir can go for $60 per bottle. Grown on one of the most extreme vineyards in Sonoma, known for intense and expensive Pinot, by Scott Rich—a disciple of Tony Soter and one of the most respected winemakers in the region—it screams “high-quality” from the second the wine hits your glass. Yet Styler only makes 200 cases, so there isn’t much to go around.

We've got a small allocation of this 2018, and it comes for far less than $60. Thanks to our long-standing relationship with Scott, we’re able to offer this bold, silky red for an incredible price.

Deep ruby-purple in the glass, the aromas are as dramatic as the vineyard this Pinot hails from. Bold notes of baked dark cherries, fresh red plums, wild raspberries, and hints of cola mingle with violets and exotic spices for an aromatic experience that’s compelling all on its own. Once the wine hits your palate, there’s a wonderful tension between the deep, rich fruit and the brightness that keeps everything fresh, leading to a long, silky finish.

Some vineyards are so intense, they become local legends—and Wildcat Mountain is one of them. Planted by the legendary Steve MacRostie, whose winery helped make a name for the district, it’s a high-elevation vineyard on the border of Carneros, in the wild Sonoma Coast appellation. 

Perched high enough to see the Golden Gate Bridge on clear days, the grapes there are constantly buffeted by wind, forcing them to develop the thick skins that lead to bold flavors. Sparse volcanic soils make the vine roots dig deep, drawing out concentration. The fog that streams off the San Pablo Bay cools the vineyard down, allowing the grapes to retain the brightness that makes this wine so dramatic.

That gives winemaker Scott Rich plenty to work with, and his experience guided him down a perfect path with this 2018. He made his name at Etude under legendary winemaker Tony Soter, whom Robert Parker called “one of California's most influential and successful winemakers,” and this bottle clearly shows that influence at work.

Using 25% whole clusters, which add a touch of earthiness and enhance the wine’s structure, Scott gave the Pinot a gentle cold soak to bring out the wine’s fruit purity before a native yeast fermentation—a calculated risk that deepens complexity. 

After a 40-day maceration to extract as much as possible from the grapes, Scott ages the wine in 40% new French oak for a full 20 months to polish this Pinot to perfection. There aren’t any shortcuts here, so after a year in the bottle, this wine is finally ready for our glasses.