2014 Sonoma and Points North: New Releases

Pinot Noir is the star of the 2014 vintage in Sonoma and Anderson Valley. The wines are absolutely brilliant, with a highly appealing interplay of richness, energy and structure. An unusual set of events unfolded during the year, leading to a magical Pinot harvest.

The 2014 Growing Season

Two thousand fourteen will go down as one of the most intriguing vintages in recent memory. Temperatures during the winter were quite a bit higher than normal, while there was no rain to speak of. Soils warmed up early and as a result, budbreak was also very early. Growers were surprised to see the vines set a very generous crop in the third year of a drought cycle and following the abundant 2012 and 2013.

Warm weather continued throughout the year in most spots. Towards the end of the season fog on the Sonoma Coast and lower lying areas in the Santa Cruz Mountains created disease pressure that required considerable sorting, which lowered yields, in some cases dramatically. Growers further off the coast reported fewer issues with fog and generally more benign conditions that led to a harvest that was several weeks ahead of schedule. I arrived in Sonoma in late September hoping to see at least a bit of harvest action, but by then, most, if not all, producers, were totally picked out.

Steve Kistler’s Bodega Headlands Vineyard

The 2014 Vintage At a Glance