Saxon Brown Fighting Brothers Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021 Red Wine

Saxon Brown Fighting Brothers Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021 Red Wine

750 ml

93 pts. Wine Enthusiast:

"This blend of Pinot from three exceptional vineyards is deep, rich and textural, jumping from the glass with aromas of spiced cherry, lemon balm, rose petal and licorice. The palate reveals layers of bright raspberry, plum skin, cinnamon and anise across a framework of rich tannin and nervy acidity."

92 pts. Wine Spectator:

"Sleek and fresh, offering a long beam of mulberry and plum fruit lined with iris and hibiscus hints, plus a pretty kiss of incense on the polished finish. Will have lots of fans for sure. Drink now through 2029. 576 cases made."

92 pts. Jeb Dunnuck:

"A ruby red color, the 2021 Pinot Noir Fighting Brothers is quite attractive and is lifted with aromas of ripe raspberries, rhubarb, spice, and beetroot. Medium-bodied, it’s elegant on the palate, with fine tannins, a very nice touch of sweet fruit, and a very pretty feel throughout. Named for owner/winemaker Jeff Gaffner’s two sons, this wine is a blend of three different vineyards: Durrel, Roberts Road, and Gap's Crown. 576 cases produced."

92 pts. James Suckling:

"This fruity, polished and charming wine is winemaker Jeff Gaffner’s biggest bottling, though small at under 600 cases. Starts out effusive, with cherries, strawberries and great flowers, then a silky texture and fruity flavors that segue to more savory, woodsy and earthy tones for complexity. Full-bodied with smooth tannins."

Highly acclaimed winemaker Jeff Gaffner's Saxon Brown-label wines showcase his extraordinary ability to bring out the best in Pinot Noir. This wine is a blend of the top-notch Sonoma Coast vineyards Robert's Road, Durell, and Gap's Crown. Extremely well-balanced, a delight to the taste buds, and built to last for many more years thanks to Jeff's unique winemaking methods! - Wine Factor

FROM THE WINERY

Vineyards: Our Fighting Brothers Pinot Noir is a blend of three renowned Sonoma Coast vineyards: Gap’s Crown, Roberts Road and Durell. Individually all three offers ideal Pinot-growing terroir and impeccable farming. Together they produce a wine of extraordinary depth, complexity, and harmony, displaying the site synergy celebrated in our line of Fighting Brothers vineyard blends. Fighting Brothers is named for my two sons, who’ve managed to blend their many differences into something approaching harmony.

Winemaking: Our Fighting Brothers Pinot Noir was harvested in the early morning and transported immediately to the winery, where the grapes were de-stemmed into small open top tanks for three days of cold soak at approximately 45F. After the must warmed and started fermentation, we inoculated with a low rate of Romanee-Conti yeast, punching down three to five times daily. Once fermentation was complete, the wine was pressed to 50% new French oak for a total of 17 months in barrel. The wine was bottled unfiltered and unfined.

Tasting Notes: Our 2021 Fighting Brothers Pinot Noir exhibits the harmonious balance of concentrated fruit and bright acidity we strive for with this proprietary blend. Lively aromas of fresh florals, Bing cherry and dried rose petals give way to rich notes of ripe plum, dark chocolate and sweet vanilla that persist on the expansive palate. A beautiful sum of its parts, this premier vineyard blend offers complexity, elegance and a long, nuanced finish. Enjoy upon release or hold for up to 15 years.

Aging: 17mos, 50% new French oak

Case Production: 576 cases

Bottled: March 10, 2023

Harvest Date: Sept 30, 2021

Alc: 14.1%

Brix at Harvest: 23.9 

TA: 6.1

pH: 3.37

Clone: 777, Pommard, 828, 115, Swan