Cobb Vineyards, Sonoma Coast (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir 2014

Cobb’s Coastlands Vineyard, “1906 Block Pommard” Pinot Noir is the “heavyweight” of this trio despite being the lowest in alcohol (12.5 percent), reminding us, yet again, that sometimes less is more with regard to ripeness, especially with this variety.  The juicy Coastlands Vineyard displays more black fruit compared to the red fruit character of the Rice Spivak bottling.  Paradoxically, despite the lower alcohol (less ripe grapes) it has more power and weight.  That said, it still shares the captivating “flavor without weight” character and silky, barely noticeable, tannins of the other two bottlings.  Cobb has made an extraordinary trio of Pinot Noirs that shows that Burgundy has no monopoly on that grape.