Lot Overview
- Region: 100% Sonoma Coast (estate and family-owned vineyards)
- Vintage: 2023
- Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
- Oak Aging: ~25–30% new French oak
- Alcohol: 14.0%
- Cases Available: 300
- Cam Price: ~$9.92/bottle ($119/case)
- Retail Estimate: $45–60/bottle
- Claude’s Source Guess: Flowers Vineyards & Winery — Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
- Wine Berserkers Guess: Flowers Vineyards & Winery ✓ (same as Claude)
- Drink Window: 2025–2032 (peak 2026–2030)
Cameron’s Release Notes
Age-worthy, complex and archetypal, Lot 31 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir comes to us from a legendary producer who had “a little bit left over from our recent bottling.” They were eager to get it out before harvest so I was able to negotiate a very good price. Normally $60 per bottle at the winery ($45–60 in the trade), with fruit sourced from a mix of estate and family-owned Sonoma Coast vineyards — this producer is as responsible as anybody for putting California Pinot Noir on the map.
Tasting Notes
Beautiful bouquet of bright Bing cherry, cranberry with lovely Earl Grey and forest floor accents showcasing the cool beauty and precision of the 2023 harvest. Saline and earthy umami notes increase with air. Even with just a few weeks in the bottle, the palate architecture is seamless and nicely integrated with exceptional fruit purity. Pretty cherry and juicy raspberry glide effortlessly over the palate with freshness, energy, and perfect balance leading to a long, sustained finish resonating with red fruits, Earl Grey tea and earthy umami notes in perfect chorus.
✅ Bottle Shock Status: Drinking beautifully already per Cam.
Claude’s Source Guess: Flowers Vineyards & Winery — Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Flowers Vineyards & Winery was founded in 1989 by Walt and Joan Flowers on the rugged ridges of the extreme Sonoma Coast — one of only a handful of pioneers who proved that world-class Pinot Noir could be grown within miles of the Pacific Ocean. Their role in “putting California Pinot Noir on the map” is literally documented: along with Hirsch Vineyards, they were among the first to farm the true Sonoma Coast at elevation, and their Camp Meeting Ridge and Sea View Ridge estate vineyards became benchmarks for the appellation.
Their Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is sourced from their Sea View Ridge estate vineyard plus several family-owned vineyards — matching Cam’s “estate and family-owned Sonoma Coast vineyards” description precisely. The wine retails at $45–60, consistent with Cam’s pricing, and their 2023 vintage uses approximately 20–25% new French oak, matching Cam’s “25–30%.” The tasting descriptors of Earl Grey tea, cranberry, forest floor, and saline umami are hallmarks of Flowers’ house style that appear consistently in their own winery notes and critic reviews.
Flowers was also identified as the Lot 6 Rosé source, confirming an ongoing supply relationship with Cam. The “little bit left over from our recent bottling” narrative fits Flowers’ small-production, allocation-based model where minor surplus from the 2023 vintage would be available to a trusted négociant partner.
✅ Confidence: Very High — WB independently identified Flowers, price tier confirmed, “put California Pinot on the map” descriptor fits precisely, estate and family vineyard sourcing matches, and Flowers was already identified as a CAM X source in Lot 6.
Drink Window
Early: 2025 — drinking beautifully now per Cam.
Peak: 2026–2030. Flowers Sonoma Coast Pinot peaks 3–7 years from vintage.
Hold: 2032. The coastal structure and 14% alc give this solid medium-term aging.
My Call: ✅ Drink window: 2025–2032 (peak 2026–2030)