Hirsch Vineyards East Ridge Pinot Noir 2018 (750ML)

95 VP / 94 VM / 94 WE / 94 DE / 94 JD / 94 JS / 92 WA

#1 Vinepair 50 Best Wines of 2021

Damn, this is good. What a wonderful expression of Pinot Noir. It is on the lighter side of this grape, but don’t let that fool you. The acidity is bright but does not compromise the fleshy fruit that smells like cherries with a whisper of cinnamon and earth. Chill this wine down a bit, and your mind will be blown. - Vinepair

The 2018 Pinot Noir Estate East Ridge is juicy, open-knit and seductive. Sweet red cherry, red plum, spice, mint and blood orange infuse the 2018 with tons of nuance and character. In this tasting, the East Ridge stands out for its mid-palate density and creaminess, along with slightly darker/purplish tonalities of fruit. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

Structured and wildly complex, this wine is just starting to reveal itself, offering a quiet wealth of juicy pomegranate, black tea and rocky tannin. Textured, it is both savory in nature and bursting in acidity, providing a lengthy freshness as it goes. Still, time in the cellar is recommended; enjoy best from 2025–2028. - Virginie Boone, Wine Enthusiast

Smouldering, introspective nose of black cherry, red plum, cocoa and potting soil. The same characters are subsequently broad and mouthcoating on the palate, which has a spry, lifted finish. You could cellar this a few years to let it unwind. This site, with low-yielding, 30-year-old vines on steep slopes, has less oceanic influence than the rest of the property, producing the richest of the Hirsch single-block wines. Drinking Window 2024 - 2039 - ML, Decanter

Similarly hued, the 2018 Pinot Noir East Ridge has a slightly more mineral-laced, marine, and savory earth-driven bouquet that includes plenty of ripe red fruit, forest floor, and spring flower-like aromas and flavors. It’s vibrant, racy, and nicely focused on the palate, with good acidity, building minerality, and a great finish. It’s certainly a racier, more vibrant style of wine compared to the East Ridge and will benefit from short-term bottle aging. It has a kiss of background oak as well, but that will integrate with a year or two in the cellar. It’s another Burgundian, complex, age-worthy wine from this estate. - Jeb Dunnuck

A really beautiful red with dried strawberry, subtle citrus and cedar with some walnut. Forest floor, too. It’s full-bodied, yet tensioned, very polished and focused. Lovely finish. A little tight now, yet very drinkable. But better after 2022. - James Suckling

Pale ruby in color, the 2018 Pinot Noir East Ridge opens with tones of laurel, bark, earth and tea leaves, with red berry fruits and lemon peel at the core. The light-bodied palate features earth-laced fruits with a soft, juicy frame and long finish. - Erin Brooks, Wine Advocate