2009 Red Car Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

Red Car is Sonoma Coast producer founded in 2000 by Carroll Kemp and Mark Estrin, a pair of amateur winemakers who had both worked in Hollywood’s movie business. They decided to name their wine enterprise after the electric trolley cars that ran throughout Los Angeles in the first half of the 20th century. Red Car makes a portfolio of wines under several labels, but its prestige label in the Reserve, which includes Pinot Noir, Syrah and Roussane.

Sonoma Coast AVA runs from San Pablo Bay in the south to Mendocino County in the north. It includes 7,000 vineyard acres and earned AVA status in 1987. Its proximity to the Pacific Ocean means it gets double the rainfall of nearby inland appellations and the ocean gives the appellation a relatively cool climate. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir can thrive in these conditions, and there are numerous producers making critically acclaimed Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.