First Taste of Platt Vineyard: AXA Millésimes' Hidden Gem on the West Sonoma Coast

I had the privilege of experiencing Platt Vineyard's inaugural estate vintage at their new tasting room in Sonoma with Chris Schreiner, WSET III, Director of Hospitality. After receiving a recommendation from my Sommelier Guild of Atlanta president—who had heard strong endorsements from industry folks—I knew I had to taste these wines during my October trip to Sonoma. What made this visit even more special was being among the first to experience their new space—still in its "super soft opening" phase with furniture freshly arrived just days before. Stay tuned for a blog post with pictures and videos at heavypourwine.com.

• 2023 Platt Vineyard Chardonnay Estate 94 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, West Sonoma Coast

  First visit to Platt Vineyard's new tasting room in Sonoma with Chris Schreiner, WSET III, Director of Hospitality. This estate bottling is a vibrant expression of Platt Vineyard's West Sonoma Coast terroir, combining 72 and Old Wente clones. The vineyard, hidden by a dense redwood grove just six miles from the Pacific Ocean, sits on Goldridge soils at elevations ranging from 620 to 800 feet. Grapes were destemmed and pressed straight into 60-gallon Burgundy barrels for both primary and secondary fermentation, with minimal intervention—little to no bâtonnage and just one racking. The wine saw 14 months aging in 35% new French oak and 65% used French oak, going through full malolactic fermentation at 14.1% alcohol. Citrus dominates the nose with impressive intensity. Great acid and finish make this incredibly clean and crisp. The wine shows a distinctly Burgundian character. Very balanced and energetic with excellent lift. This morning, I preferred this to the Reserve bottling—it's drinking beautifully right now. Grabbed several bottles for my cellar.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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• 2023 Platt Vineyard Chardonnay Estate Reserve 93 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, West Sonoma Coast

  First visit to Platt Vineyard's new tasting room in Sonoma with Chris Schreiner, WSET III, Director of Hospitality. The Reserve is a strict selection of the best lots and barrels from only mature vines, blended exclusively from Old Wente clone blocks. Like the Estate bottling, grapes were pressed straight into 60-gallon Burgundy barrels for fermentation with minimal intervention. The wine aged 14 months in 33% new French oak and 67% used French oak, reaching 14.3% alcohol. Despite being more selective fruit, the oak program and treatment remain essentially the same as the Estate—the difference is purely in the crème de la crème block selection. Lemony character with more lushness than the Estate bottling, though not buttery despite full malolactic fermentation. The wine is heavier-bodied but finishes shorter than the Estate Chardonnay. Intense with a bit of bite at the end, showing impressive concentration and depth.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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• 2023 Platt Vineyard Pinot Noir Estate 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, West Sonoma Coast

  First visit to Platt Vineyard's new tasting room in Sonoma with Chris Schreiner, WSET III, Director of Hospitality. This estate Pinot Noir showcases the darker, more structured side of the West Sonoma Coast in the cool 2023 vintage. The wine is a blend of Pommard, 777, 828, and Swan clones from blocks across the 27.6-acre Pinot Noir plantings. Grapes were fully destemmed and fermented in small stainless steel open-top fermenters with a combination of punch-downs and pump-overs. After a 5-day cold soak, fermentation lasted 14-16 days on the skins before pressing. The wine aged 14 months in 60-gallon Burgundy barrels with 35% new French oak and 65% used oak, reaching 13.7% alcohol. This launched vintage leans more Burgundian in style than the typical Sonoma Coast fruit bomb. Dark cherry dominates the nose rather than the high-toned red fruit typically associated with the region. Not fruit-forward with medium acidity. A serious Pinot Noir that shows remarkable restraint and structure for California.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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• 2023 Platt Vineyard Pinot Noir Estate Reserve 94 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, West Sonoma Coast

  First visit to Platt Vineyard's new tasting room in Sonoma with Chris Schreiner, WSET III, Director of Hospitality. The Reserve showcases blocks that harness both power and freshness, with the chiseled structure coming primarily from Calera clone—which only appears in this Reserve bottling. The blend includes Calera, Pommard, 777, and 115 clones. Like the Estate Pinot, grapes were fully destemmed and fermented in stainless steel with targeted extraction programs. The wine saw 14 months in 60-gallon Burgundy barrels with 34% new French oak and 66% used oak. The cool 2023 vintage produced wines at 13.7% alcohol that lean darker and more structured than typical Sonoma Coast expressions—even approaching Oregon-like tension and earthiness in blind tastings. Dark chocolate dominates the nose with intense concentration. Completely unlike the standard Sonoma Pinots I experienced during this four-day trip. Beautifully balanced with seamlessly integrated alcohol—you can't taste the 13.7%. The wine shows an almost Old World Burgundian style with remarkable tension and structure. Nothing like the typical California fruit bomb. Grabbed several bottles for my cellar.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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Being essentially the second visitor to their new tasting room—catching them in their super soft opening phase—made this experience particularly memorable. The highlights were the Estate Chardonnay's brilliant acidity and Burgundian character, and the Reserve Pinot Noir's intense, structured profile that defies typical California stereotypes. The 2023 vintage's cool conditions produced wines with remarkable tension and moderate alcohol levels—these are serious wines that showcase why Lew Platt's meticulous vineyard development in the early 2000s created such sought-after fruit for over two decades.