Easkoot, Sonoma Coast “Suacci” Pinot Noir

When it comes to Easkoot, there’s always a looming “if” involved: Made famous for their tremendous small-batch Pinot Noirs of single-vineyard origin, they’ve generated major excitement among the wine cognoscenti over the last decade—that is, if you can find a bottle. That’s certainly the case for today’s “Suacci Vineyard,” a hidden-away coastal site that is entirely planted to Pinot Noir. But even if you are lucky enough to stumble across this gem of a site, you may not immediately know what makes it so special. All you need to do is look down: Its ace in the hole is “Goldridge,” about as valuable as gold itself in the world of Calfornia Pinot Noir.This 3-5-million-year-old, magnesium/calcium/potassium-rich soil yields powerfully concentrated fruit that is worshipped as much as Mosel’s slate, Chablis’ limestone, and Bordeaux’ gravel. And, when you apply sustainable farming, terroir-first winemaking, and five years of total aging, an endlessly aromatic Pinot of pulverized mineral savor