2023 10 Ninths "Vertex" Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

The 2023 Pinot Noir Vertex vibrates with vivid berry fruit and remarkable textural finesse. A wine of supreme inner harmony, it delivers plushness and ripeness in a perfectly calibrated, structured frame. Citrus zest and white pepper add lift. The structure here points to significant positive evolution ahead. Impressive.

The 2023 Vertex shows the continued potential of this vineyard as the organic and biodynamic farming practices initiated in 2019 continue to elevate the estate. Vertex is a barrel selection of the best lots from across the vineyard’s clonal mix of Calera, Pommard, 667, 115, and 777. The wine has a touch more purity of fruit than the Radius and feels a little more polished, but the signature of the site remains unmistakable. It’s a wonderfully contemplative wine, melding a brooding fruit profile with savory herbs, pine needles, forest berry compote, and subtle earthy tones. The palate is suave and sophisticated, with fine tannins and just a subtle kiss of oak spice framing the fruit. This is a spectacular value given our Insider’s Advantage discount and can comfortably sit alongside the crème de la crème of the appellation.