Rivers-Marie Silver Eagle Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2024 (750ML)

The Valdez family’s meticulous farming has been the constant at Silver Eagle, the vineyard that started Rivers-Marie’s relationship with them, even as the winery’s rows there have moved over the years. Planted to the VR, Calera and Swan clones, this warmer, early-ripening site usually gives the most forward wine of the single-vineyard range. The 2024 is unusually concentrated, recalling the winery’s first vintage here, 2009, and 15% stems supply tannin to balance the dense fruit; some whole cluster has been part of the approach since 2012. It opens with a reductive edge of flint, loam and a hint of sawdust before blackberry compote, plum, dried cherry, black tea, sassafras, truffle and espresso come forward. Give it plenty of air before serving. Save it for venison loin, lamb shoulder or wild mushroom ragù.