More Reviews
Vinography – February 5, 2023
2019 Pinot Noir, Emmaline Ann Vineyard
Light garnet in the glass, this wine smells of dried flowers and cranberries. In the mouth, wonderfully crystalline flavors of raspberries, redcurrant, and dried flowers have an incredible juiciness and stony note underneath citrus and hints of herbs. Incredibly dynamic and outstanding. 13.4% Score: between 9.5 and 10
2019 Pinot Noir, Rice-Spivak Vineyard
Light to medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of crushed herbs, wildflowers, and cranberries. In the mouth, stunning faint tannins offer a smooth stony backdrop to cherry and raspberry fruit, as floral and citrus notes linger in the finish. Incredibly seamless, and gorgeous. 13.4% alcohol. Score: around 9.5
Vinography – January 22, 2023
2019 Chardonnay, H. Klopp Vineyard
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers and cold cream. In the mouth, fantastic flavors of stony white flowers, citrus pith (lemon and grapefruit), and just a touch of linalool swirl and shimmer. Fantastic acidity and a pithy zesty finish. Mouthwatering. Goes through malolactic conversion completely, but is picked at a ripeness that allows it to still have a bright laser-like edge even after the loss of some acidity in malolactic conversion. A stunner. 12.4% alcohol. Score: around 9.5
2019 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
Light garnet in color, this wine smells of dried flowers, raspberries, and sour cherry. In the mouth, gorgeous and bright raspberry and sour cherry flavors have an intense crystalline quality and hint of stoniness. Dried herbs and citrus peel flavors linger in the finish. Incredible acidity, brightness, and a sensual silky texture. 13.2% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5
Fred Koeppel – March 2020
Weekend Wine Notes: 20 California Pinot Noirs, from Sta. Rita Hills to Anderson Valley
Fred Koeppel – January 2020
50 Great Wines of 2019
Sonoma Magazine – December 2019
Top 100 Sonoma Wines 2019
Wine Review Online – April 2019
2015 Pinot Noir, Thorn Ridge Vineyard – 96 points
“A seductive Pinot Noir from busy winemaker Katy Wilson’s own project. Katy clearly knows how to get the most out of this site, and fearlessly goes under thirteen percent alcohol to get there. There’s amazing depth of mixed red fruit aroma and flavor, with clear yet delicate accents of rhubarb, Asian apothecary spice, talc and soft oak toast. Singing acidity keeps it all together, and there’s a big burst of fully integrated joy in the finish. I could recommend a pairing here, but I’m leaning toward keeping this as a mind-bending solo glass. Beautifully realized wine!” – Rich Cook
Please the Palate – July 2019
Wine of the Week: LaRue Wines 2013 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast by Allison Levine
Fred Swan – March 2019
LaRue Wines Pinot Noir & Chardonnay
Fred Koeppel Wine of the Day – February 2019
2017 Pinot Noir, Thorn Ridge Vineyard
Vinography – September 2018
2016 Chardonnay, Charles Heintz Vineyard
Light gold in color, this wine smells of pineapple and lemon curd. In the mouth, lemon curd and pineapple flavors have a wonderful zip to them, thanks to excellent acidity. Notes of citrus peel with a hint of butterscotch linger in the finish. Very pretty. 14.2% alcohol. Score: around 9
2015 Pinot Noir, Rice-Spivak Vineyard
Medium garnet in color, this wine smells of raspberry and cherry and a touch of cedar. In the mouth, beautiful raspberry and cranberry flavors have a wonderful citrus kick to them thanks to excellent acidity and quite low alcohol (12.8%). Notes of green herbs and citrus linger in the finish with just the faintest hint of vanilla. Lovely. Score: between 9 and 9.5
2015 Pinot Noir, Thorn Ridge Vineyard
Light to medium garnet in color, this wine smells of raspberry and redcurrant. In the mouth, bright flavors of raspberry and redcurrant have a spicy, citrus kick to them and a gorgeous powdery tannic backbone that caresses the edge of the palate and the back of the mouth, while citrus peel notes and hints of wild thyme linger in the finish. Outstanding. 12.9% alcohol. Score: around 9.5
Vinography – April 2015
2012 Pinot Noir, Coastlands Vineyard
“Light to medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of floral raspberry and black raspberry fruit. On the palate, mouthwateringly juicy flavors of raspberry and citrus have an almost saline quality, with savory dried flowers and wet stone qualities that linger in the finish. Mysterious and outstanding.” Score: around 9.5
2012 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
“Light garnet in the glass, this wine smells super juicy, with raspberry and bright citrus notes. In the mouth, that juiciness pays off in spades as citrus, raspberry and redcurrant take on a stony freshness. Fabulous acidity and length. Candidate for the best (and probably among the most expensive) mere Sonoma Coast designated (as opposed to individual vineyard) wine?” Score: 9 to 9.5
Jamie Goode’s Wine Blog – March 2014
10 CALIFORNIAN PINOT NOIRS THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND
LaRue Rice-Spivak Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011 Sonoma Coast, California This is the first time I’ve tried the wines of Katy Wilson, and I was impressed. This is supple and sweet with some spicy notes under the fresh, silky, ripe cherry fruit. There’s real detail and complexity here: a generous wine but one that’s still really elegant. 95/100
San Francisco Chronicle Pinot’s promise, and peril, on the Sonoma Coast by Jon Bonne – August 2012
2010 LaRue Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Winemaker Katy Wilson took her San Joaquin Valley farm upbringing into account when moving into winemaking. Her young label, named for her great-grandmother, focuses on just one wine: a blend from three vineyards near Occidental and Sebastopol. Dense and packed with exotic dried-herb notes, this forthcoming release shows the tart red fruit you’d expect from Occidental’s chill in a cool vintage. A fantastic clarity of Pinot flavors.