Vineyard: Griffin's Lair

AppellationSonoma Coast
VarietiesPinot Noir

Wineries sourcing from this vineyard

Reviewed wines produced from this vineyard

2017 Lombardi Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

14.0% alc., pH 3.60, TA 0.60, 245 cases, $48. Sourced from Griffin’s Lair, Spring Hill and Sonoma Stage vineyards. Clones 667, 115, 777 and Calera. Aged 15 months in French oak barrels, 27% new. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Nicely perfumed with aromas of black cherry, dark red berry, baking spice and graham. Luscious in the mouth, with waves of well-ripened black cherry fruit accented by baking spices and toast. A fruit-driven, unapologetic wine with modest tannins and an ebullient finish. The best Pinot Noir from this producer to date. Score: 93. Reviewed June 19, 2019 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2016 Lombardi Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

14.0% alc., pH 3.47, TA 0.676, 227 cases, $48. Sourced from Griffin’s Lair and Sonoma Stage vineyards. Clones 667 and Calera. Aged 15 months in French oak barrels, 33% new. · Moderate garnet color in the glass. Slightly confected cherry and oak aromas are featured. The middleweight core of cherry and raspberry fruits are nicely framed with oak barrel treatment. The mid palate is a bit shallow, the fruit is slightly confected, and the cherry-driven finish is slightly tart. Score: 88. Reviewed June 9, 2018 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2009 Wind Gap Gap’s Crown and Griffin’s Lair Vineyards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

12.5% alc., 314 cases, $29. From Pax Mahle Wines. Hand-numbered bottles. · Shy scent of black cherries with generous oakdriven aromas of spice, smoke and mocha java. Dark-fruited with plenty of smoky oak, coffee and tar in the background. Somewhat better when re-tasted later in the day with some reduced oak influence but the fruit in this wine still plays second-fiddle to the oak. May show better oak integration with a year or two in the cellar. Decent. Reviewed March 2, 2011 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2004 CL Wines Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

14.1% alc., $21. CL (Cravin and Lattin) Wines are crafted by David Lattin, former winemaker at Acacia. Three single-vineyard Pinot Noirs are produced: Armagh, Doucette, and Griffin’s Lair. The Sonoma Coast bottling, tasted here, is a blend from the single-vineyard selections. The Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is a very popular by-the-glass pour at many top Northern California restaurants. · This is a perfectly fine Pinot Noir. It leads off with aromas of fresh crushed cherries and carries the cherries theme to the finish. There is a touch of heat on the nose but it is not intrusive. The texture is soft and the finish clean. Like sharing a cherry float with a cheerleader in a fuzzy red sweater. Reviewed January 15, 2007 WINERY » ARTICLE »