2019 Rivers-Marie Summa Old Vines Pinot Noir

I’ve been writing notes for this mailer in pairs the last few nights.  I have a case box with a bottle of each wine standing up waiting to be popped.  It’s been amazing how the random drawing of wines has led me to perfectly appropriate vineyard pairings each evening.  Tonight, it’s Platt and Summa Old Vines, the two most intense bottlings in the lineup.  Though they translate very differently once finished, both sit at the extremes of what’s possible on the Sonoma Coast.  I love the color of this Summa Old bottling, it’s decidedly red but so transparent and translucent.  Its appearance would suggest a light wine but the palate experience is incredibly firm.  We’ve talked about the aromatic fireworks in this wine for 17 vintages now, veering from candied orange peel to sweet red fruits to deep into the savory elements of a complex Pinot Noir, sandalwood, sous bois, pine needles, cut hay, mint and camphor.  The wine smells dense at its core but the expansive aromatics keep it light and refreshing.  The palate experience is very broad and again there’s an amazing weight that doesn’t come across as heavy or tiresome.  This is a wine to cellar for sure but I can’t help but taking a lot of pleasure in popping and drinking this tonight.