2020 Pinot Noir Savoy

Eric Sussman presented a nearly complete range of 2020s. Only the Dierke Pinot and Dusty Lane Syrah were too compromised to be bottled. Like all his colleagues, Sussman dealt with the challenges of a very dry, warm year and an early harvest that was further accelerated by the rapid spread of fires. Overall, the 2020s are quite good, although a few wines come across as a bit light, which is typical for the year. Sussman opted for his standard approach in the cellar, which means native ferments, a fair amount of whole clusters for the reds and relatively long aging in barrel of 16 months for the Chardonnays and 20 months for the reds. I also tasted the 2019s Syrahs and Zinfandels, which are all strong. These remain some of the most compelling and unique wines in Sonoma.