Ceritas Wines - "Costalina" - West Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2023

Founded in 2005 by John Raytek and Phoebe Bassett, Ceritas Wines is a small, intensely site-focused producer devoted to expressing the character of Northern California’s coolest coastal vineyards. Rather than owning vineyards, Ceritas works in close partnership with a select group of growers, favoring older vines, dry farming and organic or sustainable practices while maintaining an unusually intimate presence in the vineyards. Their focus is concentrated in the West Sonoma Coast and Santa Cruz Mountains, where fog, ocean winds, rugged terrain and varied marine-derived soils create ideal conditions for naturally fresh, transparent Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In the cellar, the goal is deliberately unobtrusive: native fermentations, thoughtful use of whole clusters and restrained oak allow each vineyard and vintage to speak for itself. The result is a collection of wines that Ceritas describes as being “uncovered” rather than built—precise, energetic and deeply reflective of place.

Ceritas’ Costalina opens with an inviting coastal perfume of wild red berries and fresh flowers, leading into a beautifully expressive palate of raspberry, wild strawberry, cranberry and Rainier cherry, with subtle herbal and earthy nuances emerging beneath the fruit. Fermented with roughly 15–20% whole clusters and aged in neutral oak, the wine retains an especially pure expression of its cool West Sonoma Coast origins, combining silky texture and juicy red-fruited freshness with fine-grained tannins, vibrant acidity and a gently savory, mineral-laced finish. Its energy and finesse make it a natural partner for roast chicken with thyme, grilled salmon, duck breast with cherry reduction, pork tenderloin with roasted fruit or a delicate wild-mushroom and herb pasta.