Pinot Powers On

The 2021 vintage surpasses even the excellent 2019, great news after the weather-challenged 2020

Five bottles of California Pinot Noir, alongside a glass of red wine and various fruits, a cutting board and knife on a table
After the difficult 2020 vintage, winemakers are pleased with the extremely high quality of Pinot Noir in 2021. (James Ransom)

Following the difficult 2020 vintage, 2021 produced outstanding Pinot Noir wines across California, including Anderson Valley, Russian River Valley, Carneros, Santa Barbara, Sonoma Coast and beyond. Read Wine Spectator senior editor James Molesworth's report, including scores and tasting notes for top bottlings and good values from Aubert, Martinelli, Rivers-Marie, Brewer-Clifton, Williams Selyem, La Crema, Decoy and more.

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