Light red ruby color. Lifted perfume of dark cherries, fine herbs, spices, and wildflowers. The palate is dry, seamless, savory, fresh, salivating, with a long finish.
Vineyard/Winemaking Notes
100% Pinot Noir sourced from superb vineyards on the Sonoma Coast, this region is known for a cool climate with fog and wind. Grapes were hand-harvested, sorted, and fermented in stainless steel for 12 days. Aged for 16 months in 20% new French oak barrels.
Specs
Vintage: 2017
Winemaker: Philippe Melka
100% Pinot Noir
Sourced from superb vineyards in Sonoma Coast.
Grapes were hand-harvested, sorted, and fermented in stainless steel for 12 days. Aged for 16 months in 20% new French oak barrels.
Alcohol: 13%
pH: 3.62
RS: 0.65 g/L
Bottled Date: February 2019
Release Date: November 2019
Included in the Box
3-bottles:
3x 2017 Apriori Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County
Case:
12x 2017 Apriori Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County
Apriori Cellar was founded on the principle that quality, authenticity, and joy should be part of every wine experience. Our winemaking philosophy is deeply rooted in balance and terroir, which is why we strive to showcase the pure qualities of our grapes and distinctive personalities of their climates. Our exacting commitment to beauty and truth results in very high-quality wines that are sure to bring pleasure to everyone.
Apriori is a collaboration between Patrice Breton & Georges Sabongui, two very passionate, focused and driven vintners who met each while they were attending high school in Canada. Although they did not stay in touch, they still shared similar interests. Both Patrice & Georges enjoyed successful careers in the technology industry and decided to dedicate their attention to the craft of wine. After 25 years of no contact, they quickly identified their similarities and joined together as business partners to achieve their goals in the wine industry. Patrice directs all production operations and Georges manages sales, marketing, and administration. Their winemaker, Philippe Melka has received several 100-point scores from The Wine Advocate and has been named by Robert Parker as “One of the top nine wine consultants in the world”.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2017 Apriori Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir - $70 = 29.16%
@mrn1
I was hoping for a re-offer of their Rose which was one of our favorites but based on that, willing to go in blind on this. Thanks for doing the heavy lifting.
Got a notification last week of a UPS delivery coming that again, I didn’t recall us having anything ordered. Checked the tracking details and it showed it was 4lbs…and I was like “Labrat?”
Low and behold, later that night got the glorious email notifying me that I was indeed a labrat and a bottle was on it’s way. Bottle arrived on Thursday, so we planned for the Friday tasting. Upon opening the box, saw it was a Pinot Noir. Wife was like “blech” and I thought about needing to nudge the powers-that-be that when I get chosen to have it be anything except for PN. I’m ok with them, but my wife typically hates almost all west coast Pinot.
In either case, we took to our duties as needed. On Friday we opened it up, I let it breath for a couple minutes and then poured it into our Reidel Burgundy glasses.
Combined thoughts from the both of us, since she’s much better at descriptive words then me.
Color: Has a light red hue. Looks kind of thin in the glass.
Nose: Tart bright fruit, like underripe strawberry. It is very pleasant on the nose. Certainly more of a fruit-based nose than an herbal or woody nose.
Palate: a bit more viscous than the color suggests, almost a little syrupy. which gives it more body than one might think. It gives forth dark stone fruits (cherry/plum). The main thing that she dislikes about west coast Pinot is only partially there, having slight bark notes on the finish. To her, she almost always gets a “twiggy aftertaste” that turns her off to them.
All in all, a good wine and a good Pinot Noir. After all, her comment was “I would drink the glass” and that she doesn’t hate it. Coming from her, that’s a good thing for a California Pinot Noir.
For me, I kept pouring more into my glass while eating our chicken teriyaki dinner. And finished more that was in my glass after dinner. Finished off the last little bit that was in the bottle Sunday night.
We won’t be buying this, but that’s partially because we rarely buy Pinot Noir…but mainly because we still own way too much red wine. Most of my purchases currently will be for whites, rosés, and bubblies.
@HitAnyKey42 Thank you for being good sports and LabRatting this wine even though PN’s aren’t your favorite. Appreciate it and great details too. I will update your LR profile with your preferences.
Hi all, I received this bottle of Apriori Pinot Noir on Thursday to taste and then give my opinions. Thank you for keeping me on the list, it is always fun to get the inlaws together for an evening of snarky comments and wine tasting.
It’s good. If you like pinot noir, buy it.
…
…
Ok, for real now. We were planning steak and salad for dinner so we kept with that plan. Opened and tried our first samples before eating. Initial aroma was fruity. The first sips were tart and fruity and definitely more dry than sweet. Pleasant comes to mind, and nicely balanced. Mom picked up on a ‘less sweet fruit, like blueberry’ even before I read the back of the label to her. There was negligible burn or heavy tannin and the finish was clean. With dinner it held well though it didn’t change much with food. It’s hard for me to explain, but I’ve had some wines that needed food for that OMG this is good and this was not the case here. It was a good complement to dinner. We finished the bottle that evening, unintentionally I might add, so unfortunately I didn’t have a day two test.
I would say you can certainly drink this now. I’m too inexperienced to say how long you could lay these to rest. Thanks again for the opportunity to be a rat and as stated above, If you enjoy Pinot Noir, I don’t believe you would be disappointed with this one.
Hey y’all, back again for another Pinot review, though it looks like 2 others have already beaten me to the punch so not sure if there’s much more I can add. The last bottle I did was also a pinot, and I recommended that, and this one’s even better so I’m doubling down on my recommendation.
First impressions are a light red color, looks pleasant in the glass. Olfactory impressions are more fruity than herbal, though both are notable.
Poured a few glasses between friends before deciding to pair it with some chicken enchiladas we were making for dinner. Tasted excellent on it’s own, especially for those of us into Pinots, but paired even better with some spicy chicken. The main flavors we got from the solo tasting were dry cherries and the oak from the barrel, but when paired with spicy food it really helped bring out some spices hidden within the bottle. Or maybe that was still from the chicken. Either way it worked. Would recommend for Pinot fans and most red wine fans, though may not be for you if you don’t often venture into that corner of the flavor spectrum. Good winery at a good price.
Tasting Notes
Light red ruby color. Lifted perfume of dark cherries, fine herbs, spices, and wildflowers. The palate is dry, seamless, savory, fresh, salivating, with a long finish.
Vineyard/Winemaking Notes
100% Pinot Noir sourced from superb vineyards on the Sonoma Coast, this region is known for a cool climate with fog and wind. Grapes were hand-harvested, sorted, and fermented in stainless steel for 12 days. Aged for 16 months in 20% new French oak barrels.
Specs
Included in the Box
Price Comparison
$527.39 for a Case at Apriori Cellar/MSRP $36 for 2016 Vintage
About The Winery
Winery: Apriori Cellar
Apriori Cellar was founded on the principle that quality, authenticity, and joy should be part of every wine experience. Our winemaking philosophy is deeply rooted in balance and terroir, which is why we strive to showcase the pure qualities of our grapes and distinctive personalities of their climates. Our exacting commitment to beauty and truth results in very high-quality wines that are sure to bring pleasure to everyone.
Apriori is a collaboration between Patrice Breton & Georges Sabongui, two very passionate, focused and driven vintners who met each while they were attending high school in Canada. Although they did not stay in touch, they still shared similar interests. Both Patrice & Georges enjoyed successful careers in the technology industry and decided to dedicate their attention to the craft of wine. After 25 years of no contact, they quickly identified their similarities and joined together as business partners to achieve their goals in the wine industry. Patrice directs all production operations and Georges manages sales, marketing, and administration. Their winemaker, Philippe Melka has received several 100-point scores from The Wine Advocate and has been named by Robert Parker as “One of the top nine wine consultants in the world”.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Thursday, March 26th - Monday, March 30th
Apriori Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
3 bottles for $59.99 $20/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $169.99 $14.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2017 Apriori Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2017 Apriori Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir - $70 = 29.16%
I’m good for 3-6 bottles if anyone in NE OH is buying…
@chipgreen I’ll take 6 also. Let’s me and you split a case. Want me to order?
@chipgreen on 2nd thought let’s see if anyone else in the group wants a few.
@mrn1
I was hoping for a re-offer of their Rose which was one of our favorites but based on that, willing to go in blind on this. Thanks for doing the heavy lifting.
@chipgreen @mrn1 I’m good thanks though
@chipgreen I went and look at some of the reviews on the 2 previous offerings. That really sold me, I have a case coming for the two of us to split!
@chipgreen @mrn1 @pjmartin Just sitting on the bench. Thanks for spreading the word!
Got a notification last week of a UPS delivery coming that again, I didn’t recall us having anything ordered. Checked the tracking details and it showed it was 4lbs…and I was like “Labrat?”
Low and behold, later that night got the glorious email notifying me that I was indeed a labrat and a bottle was on it’s way. Bottle arrived on Thursday, so we planned for the Friday tasting. Upon opening the box, saw it was a Pinot Noir. Wife was like “blech” and I thought about needing to nudge the powers-that-be that when I get chosen to have it be anything except for PN. I’m ok with them, but my wife typically hates almost all west coast Pinot.
In either case, we took to our duties as needed. On Friday we opened it up, I let it breath for a couple minutes and then poured it into our Reidel Burgundy glasses.
Combined thoughts from the both of us, since she’s much better at descriptive words then me.
Color: Has a light red hue. Looks kind of thin in the glass.
Nose: Tart bright fruit, like underripe strawberry. It is very pleasant on the nose. Certainly more of a fruit-based nose than an herbal or woody nose.
Palate: a bit more viscous than the color suggests, almost a little syrupy. which gives it more body than one might think. It gives forth dark stone fruits (cherry/plum). The main thing that she dislikes about west coast Pinot is only partially there, having slight bark notes on the finish. To her, she almost always gets a “twiggy aftertaste” that turns her off to them.
All in all, a good wine and a good Pinot Noir. After all, her comment was “I would drink the glass” and that she doesn’t hate it. Coming from her, that’s a good thing for a California Pinot Noir.
For me, I kept pouring more into my glass while eating our chicken teriyaki dinner. And finished more that was in my glass after dinner. Finished off the last little bit that was in the bottle Sunday night.
We won’t be buying this, but that’s partially because we rarely buy Pinot Noir…but mainly because we still own way too much red wine. Most of my purchases currently will be for whites, rosés, and bubblies.
@HitAnyKey42 Thanks!
And hello to your lovely wife, too!
@HitAnyKey42 Thank you for being good sports and LabRatting this wine even though PN’s aren’t your favorite. Appreciate it and great details too. I will update your LR profile with your preferences.
Wasn’t the 2014 vintage one of the very first wines offered on CaseMates?
@mrn1 2014 pinot was offered Feb '18:
https://casemates.com/forum/topics/apriori-sonoma-coast-pinot-noir
the 2015 pinot a 24 hour sale offered April '19:
https://casemates.com/forum/topics/apriori-sonoma-coast-pinot-noir-1?sort=most-likes
@mrn1 The very first Casemates offer was Little Vineyards Band Blend Track 9.
Hi all, I received this bottle of Apriori Pinot Noir on Thursday to taste and then give my opinions. Thank you for keeping me on the list, it is always fun to get the inlaws together for an evening of snarky comments and wine tasting.
It’s good. If you like pinot noir, buy it.
…
…
Ok, for real now. We were planning steak and salad for dinner so we kept with that plan. Opened and tried our first samples before eating. Initial aroma was fruity. The first sips were tart and fruity and definitely more dry than sweet. Pleasant comes to mind, and nicely balanced. Mom picked up on a ‘less sweet fruit, like blueberry’ even before I read the back of the label to her. There was negligible burn or heavy tannin and the finish was clean. With dinner it held well though it didn’t change much with food. It’s hard for me to explain, but I’ve had some wines that needed food for that OMG this is good and this was not the case here. It was a good complement to dinner. We finished the bottle that evening, unintentionally I might add, so unfortunately I didn’t have a day two test.
I would say you can certainly drink this now. I’m too inexperienced to say how long you could lay these to rest. Thanks again for the opportunity to be a rat and as stated above, If you enjoy Pinot Noir, I don’t believe you would be disappointed with this one.
Apriori is a solid Pinot. At this price point it’s a steal.
Hey y’all, back again for another Pinot review, though it looks like 2 others have already beaten me to the punch so not sure if there’s much more I can add. The last bottle I did was also a pinot, and I recommended that, and this one’s even better so I’m doubling down on my recommendation.
First impressions are a light red color, looks pleasant in the glass. Olfactory impressions are more fruity than herbal, though both are notable.
Poured a few glasses between friends before deciding to pair it with some chicken enchiladas we were making for dinner. Tasted excellent on it’s own, especially for those of us into Pinots, but paired even better with some spicy chicken. The main flavors we got from the solo tasting were dry cherries and the oak from the barrel, but when paired with spicy food it really helped bring out some spices hidden within the bottle. Or maybe that was still from the chicken. Either way it worked. Would recommend for Pinot fans and most red wine fans, though may not be for you if you don’t often venture into that corner of the flavor spectrum. Good winery at a good price.
One of my very first purchases years ago. Almost out, and I’ve been waiting for it to return.