Hirsch Vineyards, The Bohan-Dillon, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 2021

Perched on a ridge overlooking the Pacific Ocean at Fort Ross, Hirsch Vineyards is the birth ground of great pinot noir on the extreme Sonoma Coast. David Hirsch founded the vineyard in 1980 to grow fruit and make site-specific wine. From the start all efforts have been on the growing of fruit that makes wines profoundly characteristic of the site vintage after vintage.

The wines from Hirsch Vineyards give the passionate drinker an experience of the clash of opposites meeting in Nature and Life: the edge of the continent washed by the sea; the eviternal grinding of the North American and Pacific plates along the San Andreas Fault; the wet winters and dry summers caused by the ocean and desert climates; the dripping rainforest and parched pastures; the contact and intermingling of cultures: Native American, Mexican, Russian, European; the change in rural economy from logging and ranching to winegrowing.

In the wines of Hirsch Vineyards you find a natural balance and consistency in the harmonious resolution of these opposites. This complex, unique site produces fruit and wines of unusual acidity and balance with a vintage specific concentration of pinot noir or chardonnay fruit.

David Hirsch was inspired to create the Bohan-Dillon Pinot Noir as an homage to the great village wines of France: a wine full of place and personality, made with the same attention and integrity as the top wines, yet at an incredible price.

They make the Bohan-Dillon the same way that they make their top wines; the only difference is a shorter time in barrel. It’s in the blending that the Bohan-Dillon is differentiated from the other Hirsch wines. For the Bohan, they select the most charming, silky barrels from the vintage, with an emphasis on gentle tannins and exuberant fruit.

The Bohan-Dillon is a wine for everyday drinking, yet also has the potential to age. It can be enjoyed young, guzzled at a picnic, and it pairs perfectly with pizza. Or you can bury your nose in the glass and nerd out over aromas of crushed fresh strawberries, hints of licorice and notes of bergamot.

There need not be a contradiction between drinkability and integrity. In the Bohan-Dillon you will find an irresistibly delicious wine of great quality, traditional varietal character, and sense of place.