The Data

Country   USA

Appellation   Sonoma Coast

Varietal   Pinot Noir

Retail Price   $49

ABV   14.5%

Score   4.5 Stars/96 points

In the Glass

Brilliant, medium ruby color.

The aromatics are wonderfully intense offering scents of black cherry and raspberry with supporting notes of black tea, forest floor, cigar box, and oak.

The palate confirms the nose delivering a red and black fruits-driven core with flavors of blackberry, five spice, and hibiscus flower. The finish is long and lingering with ripe tannins.

Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a supple texture.

Cool Factor

Vintage after vintage Tongue Dancer never fails to impress as their Pinots are ultra balanced and full of flavor and personality making it very cool.

Value Grade

Have you heard that Pinot Noir is expensive? Sure you have. The Tongue Dancer Wines have proven their worth being stylish and complex, as well as being exceptionally rare (fewer than 200 cases made).

Analysis

Shocking! Another great Pinot from Tongue Dancer Wines. This is the fifth Tongue Dancer Sonoma Coast Pinot that we have reviewed and it is a consistent favorite. Each vintage is a little different but we find the 2019 to be similar in style to their great 2016. The fruit sources for the 2019 were Terra de Promissio, Putnam, and Lofty vineyards. You can absolutely see how the sum of the various parts have conspired to create a complex wine that is ripe while being slightly tart, complex, and certainly charming. The fruit was all hand-picked — de-stemmed and not crushed. It was fermented in small, open-top fermenters and then aged in French oak (50% new) for a period of 10 months. This wine is highly recommended and in very short supply so get yours fast.

How to Enjoy

This wine really needs nothing but a glass but the rich texture and bright acidity would love to pair with a grilled beef tenderloin or grilled leg of lamb.