Ernest Vineyards Pinot Noir Cleary Ranch 2022 (750ml) *
Product price
$44.99
Description
Pinot Noir from the West Sonoma Coast tends toward lift and cool-climate precision, and this bottling comes off a six-acre parcel called Cleary Ranch that Ernest Vineyards has farmed for a decade. The winery sits in the Freestone-Occidental area and was founded in 2012 by Erin Brooks and Todd Gottula. The 2022 was a warm vintage worked with fully destemmed fruit, a choice that here yields a wine that manages to stay both ripe and savory.
The nose is unusually clear, layering bright spice, wild raspberry, fresh sage, and crushed roses, with orange peel, cedar, and a whisper of tobacco filling in around the edges. There's an exuberance to it that is hard to miss. On the palate it reads ripe and approachable, tannins and acidity both settled and even, with an elegant spice note that tapers gently into an earthy, damp-forest-floor finish where the florals linger. Bright and dynamic now, and built to reward some cellar time.
Product Details
| Category | Wine |
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Subregion | Sonoma Coast |
| Varietal | Pinot Noir |
| Producer | Ernest |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Size | 750 ML |
| Subtype | Still |
Expert Reviews
From a six-acre property the estate has been working with for ten years, the 2022 Pinot Noir Cleary Ranch has fantastic clarity on the nose, with layered notes of bright spices, wild raspberries, fresh sage, and crushed roses. The palate is ripe and approachable, with ripe tannins, even, ripe acidity, and elegant spice that gently tapers. This wine is a highlight from this warm vintage and should offer a wide window for enjoyment over the coming 10-12 years. As a member of the West Sonoma Coast Vintners Association, Ernest Vineyards is based in the Freestone-Occidental area and was founded in 2012 by Erin Brooks and Todd Gottula. In 2017, they established their custom crush facility, Grand Cru, across the street from DuMOL, which houses numerous wine labels across the region. (Jeb Dunnuck, July 2025)
The 2022 vintage was a challenging one at Cleary Ranch, where yields are typically naturally low. However, that year, frost damage impacted the crop during springtime, and a heat wave caused some sunburn on the fruit. In total, they lost about 20% of the fruit, requiring heavy berry sorting at harvest. What made it through turned into something quite delicious: light and bright, with lifted aromatics and a core of crunchy berries and some juicy citrus. There’s an earthy quality, like a damp forest floor, while some elegant florals linger in the finish. (Decanter, March 2025)
The 2022 Pinot Noir Cleary Ranch is a wild, dynamic wine. Crushed flowers, orange peel, spice, dried flower, cedar and tobacco soar from the glass. There's a feeling of exuberance here that is impossible to miss. The 2022 was done with fully destemmed fruit, and yet it has plenty of savory character. (Vinous)