2021 Hirsch Maritime Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

The 2021 Pinot Noir Maritime is another stellar wine in this range. Dark fruit and imposing tannins are some of the signatures that give the Maritime its distinctive personality. It's one of the more complete and beguiling wines in this range. Sage, menthol, licorice, black cherry and lavender add myriad shades of complexity.

My tasting at Hirsch was one of the most impressive I have had at any property anywhere in the world. The 2021s Pinots are off the charts. I have been critical of these wines in the past, when I felt they were reduced or too light. To be sure, Hirsch is a challenging site, a vineyard where wines can be overly tannic. Hirsch is also one of the very few estates in Fort Ross-Seaview where the wines are made on the property. Most other producers here send their fruit to facilities that are centrally located and, therefore, much more practical. To their credit, Jasmine Hirsch and Consulting Winemaker Michael Cruse have made all the right adjustments over the last few years. The 2021s were done with no stems, a departure from the past. Time on skins was 12-20 days, with a bit more extraction than what had been the norm previously. New oak is 30-35%, except for the Reserve, which sees about 40% new wood. Most of the wines were not racked until bottling. Two thousand twenty-one is quite simply a magical vintage for Hirsch. The wines I tasted were all magnificent, to the point that picking favorites is really a matter of personal preference more than anything else. Readers will not want to miss these extraordinary wines. Bravo!

96 points vinous.com

When you arrive at Hirsch Vineyards, you’re welcomed by the earthly beauty of the Maritime Fields. In front of you, the Pacific glimmers, redwoods like sentinels shade the land, and the silence and remoteness speak to its essential, undisturbed nature. 

At the top of the ridge are the old Maritime Fields: 3B and 3A to the south, and Blocks 1B and 1A to the north. The younger Block 16 opens in an amphitheater on the western face of the ridge, ready to receive the ocean breezes and fog. Between here and the ocean, just 1 mile away, lies the great San Andreas Fault.

David Hirsch planted the Maritime Fields in 1990. Just five years later, they tragically succumbed to the vine disease phylloxera. Undaunted, he replanted them. 2021 marks just the third release of the Hirsch Maritime Estate Pinot Noir, twenty-nine years after first breaking ground. This wine is a deep expression of a unique and particular place, and a celebration of David's determination and optimism.

The 2021 Maritime impresses with a bounty of fresh fruit that nicely balances the savory flavors that make this wine such a unique expression of Hirsch Vineyards. Upon opening, the fruit is sapid and youthful, with notes of pomegranate, rose petal, blackberry and black cherry. With air, hints of moss and forest floor emerge, evoking the redwood trees that encircle this section of the vineyard. On the palate, the fruit is juicy and bright, and the tannins are notable. This wine is deeply evocative of the coast and the unique terroir of the Maritime Fields.