Joseph Phelps Sonoma

Although Joseph Phelps is known for their big bold Napa wines, they also offer a Pinot Noir vineyard in Sonoma County. Their Freestone Vineyard, located in Sonoma County, is quaint and situated at the bottom of valley in a gorgeous red barn. After producing Napa Valley Pinot Noir from 1973 to 1983 but Joseph made the decision to expand to Sonoma to try to improve the quality he was seeing for the varietal. This led them to producing a few single vineyard pinot noirs from Sonoma County.

Our tasting took place outside on their patio and included three single vineyard pinot noirs and one chardonnay. Even with the roadways so close to the tasting room you still feel more secluded due to the trees surrounding the Freestone Tasting Room. Unlike many Napa vineyards that are overwhelmed people this secret in Sonoma was almost entirely empty and it felt like we had the place all to ourselves.

As mentioned above we had four single vineyard wines; three of which were pinot noirs and one that was a chardonnay. We tasted the Freestone Chardonnay, the Freestone Pinot Noir, the Pastorale Pinot Noir and the Quarter Moon Pinot Noir. Our favorite of the four was the Quarter Moon Pinot Noir which had notes of red cherry, raspberry, and vanilla cola with hints of wet soil and mushroom. A very terroir driven gem that had nice balance and a wonderful finish.