By Fort Ross Vineyard and Winery
2019 'Stagecoach Road' Pinot Noir, Fort Ross Vineyard, Fort Ross-Seaview

Overview
From our mountain vineyard that overlooks the Sonoma Coast in the Fort Ross-Seaview American Viticultural Area, Fort Ross Vineyard and Winery produces limited quantities of single vineyard, estate-grown, cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinotage. With spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean less than one mile away, the vineyard is divided into 32 separate blocks, one half to two acres in size, that range in elevation from 1,700 feet down to 1,200 feet above sea level. Owners Lester and Linda Schwartz and their small crew began preparing the 55-acre vineyard in 1994. It took them four years of preparation before they could begin planting. The year 2000 marked the first vintage from the Fort Ross Vineyard.

Vintage Details
2019 was a very curious year. Early in the season, the vineyard received a light sprinkling of snow, followed by some frost, which is most surprising at the vineyard's altitude (1,200 ft - 1,700 ft) and our location, less than a mile from the Pacific Ocean. For the last 20 years of viticulture, we had no need for frost protection. We waited to see what kind of crop would develop and were pleased to announce that buds popped out, and we even needed to drop a significant amount of fruit. Later in the season, we had a brief heat wave that reached over 100 degrees! As we pick at night, we still have cool grapes to start winemaking. Then, just as harvest was ending, we experienced howling 60-mile-an-hour winds that blew open locked doors. The 2019 modest crop has produced wines with a luscious mouthfeel, an elegant, restrained acid profile, and a satisfying balance. Pinot Noir was unhurriedly harvested between September 16th and October 7th; Chardonnay was picked from September 19th and October 7th, and finally, the slower ripening Pinotage on October 8th.

Winemaking
The grapes for this Pinot Noir were handpicked during the cool night hours in 2-gallon trays. After hand sorting, the fruit was cold-soaked for several days and fermented in a combination of 5- and 10-ton tanks. The caps were punched down 1 or 2 times per day, depending on the stage of the fermentation. The wines were then barreled in a combination of 50% new and 50% neutral French oak. Throughout the barrel aging, the clones and different vineyard lots were kept separate to maintain their distinct flavor profiles and structural components as blending elements. These grapes are sourced from specific blocks where the old Stagecoach Road used to run through our vineyard and where Black Bart, the famous "Gentleman Bandit" highwayman, robbed the Wells Fargo Stagecoach in 1877.

Tasting Notes
Stagecoach Road is a cuvee crafted from grapes grown in blocks on our estate that lay closest to the Pacific Ocean with the darkest soils. Often producing the most robust and full-bodied style of Pinot Noir from our estate, the 2019 vintage proved no different. Hinting at its intensity and depth through a near-purple hue, the aromatic profile of this wine bursts from the glass with powerful notes of juicy plum, black cherry, wet earth, and sandalwood spice. Remarkably dense on the palate, flavors of blackberry and cassis pave the way to bold, savory notes of black tea, cocoa, and clove. Pronounced acidity and firm yet fine-grained tannins dominate the endless finish, suggesting that this bold Pinot Noir will continue to age gracefully in your cellar for years.

Wine Details
Appellation: Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma Coast
Source: Fort Ross Vineyard
Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Clones: Calera
Harvested: September 16th to October 7th, 2019
Aging: 11 months in 100% French oak, 50% new
Bottling: Unfined and unfiltered
Bottled: August 31st, 2020
Winemaker: Jeff Pisoni
[Information provided by Matador Vino]

2019 Fort Ross Vineyard and Winery Pinot Noir Stagecoach Road
Producer: Fort Ross Vineyard and Winery
Location: USA, California, North Coast, Sonoma County, Fort Ross-Seaview
Color: Red
Rating: 94
Tasting Date: 7/22/2021
Maturity: 2022 - 2032
Reviewed By: Jeb Dunnuck
Source: Sonoma: Looking at the 2019s
Last of the Pinot Noirs, the 2019 Pinot Noir Stagecoach Road is another Pinot Noir sourced entirely from the estate Fort Ross Vineyard in the northern part of the Sonoma Coast. Possibly my favorite in the lineup, it’s wonderfully complete and has a lovely assortment of red and black fruits as well as foresty, earthy, spicy, and subtle herbal notes that carry to a medium-bodied, flawlessly balanced Pinot Noir. With a solid underpinning of acidity, ripe yet building tannins, and a great finish, I like it today, but smart money is on it benefiting from a year or two of bottle age and easily evolving through 2032. This is another terrific effort from this estate with loads of character.

FORT ROSS PINOT NOIR SONOMA COAST FORT ROSS-SEAVIEW FORT ROSS VINEYARD STAGECOACH ROAD 2019
Monday, April 8, 2024
Country: United States
Region: California
Vintage: 2019
Score: 93
This red shows rich, red-fruited character with notes of spices and dried citrus peel. It’s medium-bodied with chalky tannins and a lively, mellow finish. Structured and lengthy. Drink or hold.

Fort Ross Winery 2019 Stagecoach Vineyard Pinot Noir (Fort Ross-Seaview)
From: Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma, California, US
Rating: 92
Winery: Fort Ross Winery
Region: Sonoma
Alcohol: 13.5%
Variety: Pinot Noir
Wine Type: Red
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Issue Date: 3/1/2023
This medium-bodied and moderately tannic wine boasts cedar, oak, cinnamon, rooibos tea and baked apple flavors on a grippy texture that will welcome meaty pairings. Its complexity, layering and lingering finish keep you coming back for more sips.
Reviewed By: Jim Gordon

Fort Ross Winery 2019 Fort Ross-Seaview Stagecoach Road Pinot Noir
Price: $80
Rating: 88
Vanilla scents sweeten this soft, crowd-pleasing Pinot Noir. Meaty and rustic in its leathery tannins, this finishes on the warmth of alcohol. - J.G.
(02/23)