Sonoma’s Sensational 2021s

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | AUGUST 03, 2023

After a very challenging 2020, Sonoma bounces back big time with a fabulous vintage in 2021. Bold Pinots, savory Syrahs, vibrant Chardonnays and nuanced Zinfandels are all part of the mix. Two thousand twenty-one is the best Sonoma vintage since 2018. While that may not be saying all that much in terms of the time elapsed, the 2021s are both very high in quality and consistent across the board. It’s a vintage full of stunning, compelling wines.

Covering the wines in a manner that is both comprehensive and timely is next to impossible, something that is further complicated by release schedules that vary widely from winery to winery. For these reasons, we have published reviews over the last few months. This report focuses mostly on Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Zinfandel and red field blends, with a few similar wines from neighboring appellations included. I will take a closer look at Bordeaux-based wines later this year.

Winemaker/Co-owner Andy Smith and Associate Winemaker Jenna Davis presented a breathtaking range of 2021s at DuMOL.

The 2021 Growing Season & Wines

Most growers I met with described 2021 as a year with moderate weather and no real shock events, quite a change from 2020, which was essentially all shock events. Warm weather in the early part of the year resulted in an early start to the growing season. Summer was quite cool. Some vineyards experienced poor weather during bloom. Drought conditions persisted throughout the year, but the absence of prolonged heat spikes or other traumatic episodes resulted in gradual, evening ripening and harvest that was on the later side by today’s standards.

Interestingly, yields were highly variable. Pinot and Chardonnay producers reported yields that were more or less in line with recent historical norms. These include Littorai, Rivers-Marie, Failla, Aubert and Kistler. It’s a different story altogether with Zinfandel and Zinfandel-based field blends, where producers such as Bedrock and Turley reported losses on the order of 30%, a similar theme to yields in Napa Valley.