Sonoma Meets Burgundy, Cote-Rotie’s Vibrant Evolution and Ribera’s Polish and Precision

Two perfect-scoring chardonnays and pinot noir, as well as a score of other standout bottlings from the cool and moderate 2023 vintage, underline how well the weather in coastal Sonoma County appellations suited these Burgundian grape varieties’ needs for vivid acidity, concentrated fruit flavors and abundant savory, mineral complexities.

Executive Editor Jim Gordon tasted at perennial Sonoma star wineries Kistler, Paul Hobbs and DuMol, giving our highest rating to two Kistler chards and one Paul Hobbs pinot noir.

The Kistler Chardonnay Russian River Valley Laguna Ridge Vineyard 2023, he said, is racy, vivid and linear, driving fast from the first whiff of flint and crisp fruit to the lingering finish. The wine is bottled only in magnums and presents a great choice for extended aging due to its great balance and concentration.

Equally impressive but a little more powerful, mouth-filling and immediately delicious is the Kistler Chardonnay Russian River Valley Cuvée Cathleen 2023. It exudes aromas of toast, grilled pears and brown butter that lead to incredibly concentrated, deep and delicious fruit flavors surrounded by vivid citrus acidity.

At Kistler, Jim toured the estate with winemaker and president Jason Kesner, who said his chardonnays are a textbook study in Sonoma’s terroir, made with mostly the same clones of grapes, the same methods in winemaking and the same barrels.

“The site-to-site differentiation in 2023 was the best I’ve ever seen,” Kesner said, adding that because of the long, unusually cool growing season and later-than-usual harvest, “the grapes had long hang time, giving room for the flavors to develop without the chemistry changing too much.”

So, while extremely well balanced, his 2023 chardonnays are not particularly light-bodied. “Our acidity levels were so high that we needed to have the sugar to balance, and that put us into the low 14 percent range in terms of alcohol,” he said.

Kistler’s style has evolved slowly and subtly over the four decades since Jim (and James Suckling) began tasting their wines. This new vintage of chardonnay displays how well-tuned into contemporary tastes they are, showing an elegant, flinty restraint at first whiff and then appetizing, saline and mineral accents complementing the vivid fruits and subtle oak spices.

Or is it the other way around? Maybe our reaction shows how well we tasters and the wine trade have come to appreciate more freshness and linearity in these whites? It’s up to you decide when you get the chance to sip and meditate on the incredible depth and interest in these and other Sonoma-grown producers’ chardonnays.

A pinot noir from Sonoma County-based international winemaker Paul Hobbs earned the highest praise for California reds this week. The Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Katherine Lindsay Estate Cuvée Agustina 2023 tastes wonderfully floral, deep and layered. It’s a complex, singular wine that beautifully pairs richness and freshness.

Other pinots in the highest-scoring range came from Kistler, DuMol, Morlet Family and Merry Edwards to name a few standouts.

Anyone who is interested in the full potential of California chardonnay and pinot noir should not miss out on buying some quantities of the many outstanding Sonoma-grown wines listed below this report.

Cote-Rotie's Vibrant Evolution

A vibrant evolution is unfolding in Côte-Rôtie, where the intersection of global perspective and Rhône tradition is redefining syrah. With a touch of viognier when needed, innovative winemakers are channeling the power of granite and schist terroirs into wines of elegance and edge. After a day in the appellation in the spring, Senior Editor Stuart Pigott and Tasting Manager Kevin Davy noted a rise in single-vineyard expressions and a consistent thread of precision and character across the board. Last week’s tasting confirmed that modern Cote-Rotie is both grounded and dynamic.

One of the most compelling stories is that of Graeme & Julie Bott. After meeting at Domaine Stephane Ogier in Ampuis, New Zealander Graeme and Rhone native Julie built their domaine from scratch – no inherited vineyards, just grit and vision. Starting with a modest plot in Verin (Condrieu), they have expanded to about eight hectares across Cote-Rotie, Condrieu, Saint-Joseph and Seyssuel. Their terroir-focused, hands-on approach has yielded three standout 2022s.

Their Graeme & Julie Bott Côte-Rôtie 2022 is fine-grained, velvety and approachable, and exudes plenty of charm. The Graeme & Julie Bott Côte-Rôtie Lieu-Dit Semons 2022 leans into a peppery, structured profile with a serious texture, while the real standout, the Graeme & Julie Bott Côte-Rôtie Lieu-Dit Fongeant 2022, hails from a revered single vineyard also championed by Stephane Ogier. It delivers intensity and finesse in equal measure.

READ MORE ‘STILL A LOT OF LOVE OUT THERE’: THE BEAUTIFUL DRINKABILITY OF BURGUNDY’S 2023

Cote-Rotie’s patchwork of 10 hills and over 140 lieux-dits has historically been blended, but the current Burgundian trend of bottling individual sites is on the rise – resulting in collectible, limited releases that reflect the region’s nuance and diversity.

Les Vins de Vienne, the pioneering collective of Yves Cuilleron, Pierre Gaillard and Francois Villard, continues to impress. Their Les Vins de Vienne Côte-Rôtie Lieu-Dit Le Combard 2022 delivers plush fruit, vivid acidity, and a racy, seamless finish – a standout in a strong field.

Equally impressive is Domaine de Rosiers, with three top-scoring, single-vineyard wines. The Domaine de Rosiers Côte-Rôtie Coeur de Rose 2022 is vertical and driven, while the Domaine de Rosiers Côte-Rôtie Besset 2022 balances intensity with refinement. The Domaine de Rosiers Côte-Rôtie Drevon 2022, meanwhile, captivates with its focused, layered and lively character.

Finally, Stephane Montez’s Cote-Rotie Bons Arrêts Monopole 2022 is a must-try, with its precision, velvety texture and vibrant, peppery finish. Look for more from this producer in coming reports.

Ribera's Polish and Precision

Standout wines from the semi-arid Ribera del Duero region in Castilla y Leon highlighted our Spanish tastings over the past week. Known for its full-bodied, tannic reds, the region benefits from pronounced diurnal shifts, which help shape deep-colored tempranillos built for extended oak aging – often in French barrels.

While many wines still carry marked impressions of charred oak, dry tannins,and elevated alcohol (often exceeding 15 percent), top producers are now emphasizing polish and precision. The best examples express a true sense of place, with naturally concentrated fruit from ancient vines. Even in the challenging 2022 vintage, where high alcohol levels are common, some wines achieve remarkable balance and finesse, thanks to meticulous winemaking and the use of high-grade oak that enhances complexity without overpowering.

A prime example is the Dominio de Calogía Ribera del Duero S Cuvée 2021, recently tasted by Senior Editor Zekun Shuai. This opulent yet fresh and finely structured wine draws fruit from 70-year-old vines in a 1.5-hectare plot. Launched in 2019 by Jose Manuel Perez Ovejas (formerly of Hermanos Perez Pascuas) and his wife, Silvia Ortega, the project is gaining serious attention. The old vines in Roa and Pedrosa de Duero demonstrate how precise winemaking and low-yield vineyards can produce wines that are both hedonistic and refined.

Zekun, who plans to visit Ribera del Duero and Rioja soon, was also impressed by several newer entries this year. Among them, the Yotuel Finca San Miguel 2018, from Bodegas y Viñedos Gallego Zapatero, earned the highest score. This small-batch, full-bodied wine shows muscular depth and layered complexity, with firm tannins and a vertical structure that suggests significant aging potential.

More approachable in its youth is the Magna Vides Ribera del Duero Bancales del Sardal Magna Vides 2023, made by Pablo Arranz and Andrea Sanz. From centenary vines near La Aguilera in Burgos, this co-planted vineyard also includes the white grape albillo real. The result is a wine with bright red fruit, floral and mineral citrus notes, and a juicy, textured palate. With minimal extraction and fine tannins, it delivers a transparent and elegant profile focused on freshness, finesse, and drinkability.

A richer, more textured interpretation can be seen in the Milsetentayseis Ribera del Duero Tinto 2022, which is from a project by Alma Carraovejas aimed at producing fresher wines from higher-altitude sites. Sourced from a complex field blend of old and young vines at elevations up to 1,076 meters in Fuentenebro, the wine combines depth and nuance with iron-rich soils and chalky tannins. The result is a vibrant, tensioned wine with great structure and a long, focused finish.

– Jim Gordon, Kevin Davy and Zekun Shuai contributed reporting.

The list of wines below is comprised of bottles tasted and rated during the past week by James Suckling and the other tasters at JamesSuckling.com. They include many latest releases not yet available on the market, but which will be available soon. Some will be included in upcoming tasting reports.

Note: You can sort the wines below by country, vintage, score and alphabetically by winery name. You can also search for specific wines in the search bar.