Thomas Fogarty Pinot Noir Windy Hill Vineyard 2019 (1.5L) *

Pinot Noir grown high in California's coastal ranges tends toward a cooler, more savory register than the plush versions from warmer sites, and the 2019 Windy Hill Vineyard bottling from Thomas Fogarty lands squarely in that camp. It is single-vineyard fruit, vinified with some whole-cluster character, and it reads as one of the more outspoken wines in the house lineup.

Expect exotic red berry fruit threaded with star anise, blood orange and cedar, plus a smoky edge of tobacco and the stemmy lift that whole-cluster fermentation brings. There is a lot going on here, and the wine has real personality, though it wears its energy openly and stays a touch wild in the glass rather than buttoned-up.