Perched on a ridge overlooking the Pacific Ocean at Fort Ross, Hirsch Vineyards is the birth ground of great pinot noir on the extreme Sonoma Coast. David Hirsch founded the vineyard in 1980 to grow fruit and make site-specific wine. From the start all efforts have been on the growing of fruit that makes wines profoundly characteristic of the site vintage after vintage.

The West Ridge is a north-south ridgeline, with the vineyards planted on the ridgetops. Predominantly comprised of very heavy, black clay, the soils are highly compacted, and act more like bedrock than typical clay. This inhospitable environment stresses the vines and inhibits vigor. It is one of our most challenging vineyard sites, yet produces wines that are ethereal, fragile and hauntingly aromatic.

The foundation of the West Ridge Pinot Noir is Block 7, planted in 1992 with cuttings David Hirsch took from the Mount Eden Vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains (read his complete history here). It is a true massale selection, with a diverse genetic makeup. The lineage of these plants can be traced back to Paul Masson, who brought Pinot Noir cuttings from Burgundy to California in the late 1800s. The genetic diversity of the plants imparts greater complexity to the wine, but also perpetuates the leaf-roll virus that came with the vines from Burgundy. This virus  inhibits the ability of the vines to carry out photosynthesis and produce sugar. The result is wines that are more delicate, naturally lower in alcohol, and have extremely fine tannins.

TASTING NOTES: The 2022 West Ridge may prove to be the wine of the vintage. Purity, refinement and focus define this wine. High-toned and elegant, the aromatics are classic West Ridge: perfectly ripe cherries, fresh strawberries, rose petal and a hint of orange oil. The palate is a seamless journey of silky tannins, mouthwatering acidity and pure, focused fruit.

SERVICE NOTES: This wine is open and expressive, and it can be enjoyed upon release if given an hour of air. However, there is still a touch of tightness on the palate and would benefit from a few years in the cellar.