When famed critic James Suckling recently handed out a perfect 100 point score to Hirsch’s 2021 Raschen Ridge Pinot Noir, collectors everywhere took notice. When Antonio Galloni from Vinous followed suit with a second 100 point score, Jasmine Hirsch had everyone’s attention. The 2021 Hirsch Pinot Noirs were clearly something special.
Antonio Galloni wrote: “My tasting at Hirsch was one of the most impressive I have had at any property anywhere in the world. The 2021 Pinots are off the charts.”
While you had to be a member of Hirsch’s private wine club to secure the 2021 Raschen Ridge, the accolades didn’t stop with the members-only editions. The Block 8 Pinot Noir grabbed an almost-perfect 99 point score, and the esteemed San Andreas Fault Pinot Noir snagged a 96. More awards would soon follow.
It’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that Hirsch Vineyards will win American winery of the year in 2024 and these Pinot Noirs will be the stuff of legend for years to come. Not only is the 2021 vintage a magical one for Hirsch, but it serves as a coming out party for Jasmine Hirsch who took over for her father David as head winemaker a few years back. Located along the remote Sonoma Coast with some of the best vineyards in the state, Hirsch’s long-burning star is shining brighter than ever.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t secure enough of the Block 8 to justify sending an email out to consumers, but we have managed to piece together a few small cases of the 2021 Hirsch San Andreas, while supplies last.
This is the type of wine where you buy as many as you can afford, put them away in your cellar, and thank your lucky stars that you managed to get what you got.
There are very few bottles available and they will not last.
Hirsch Vineyards Pinot Noir San Andreas Fault Sonoma Coast 2021 $74.95
96 POINTS: JAMES SUCKLING - So much fresh flowers with hibiscus and honey blossom. Dried citrus like lemon zest. Medium-bodied with fine tannins that are super integrated. Zesty finish. Lots of focus and beauty. The tannins are perfectly melted into the wine. Drinkable but even better in two to three years.
94 POINTS: VINOUS - The 2021 Pinot Noir Estate San Andreas Fault is a blend of thirty parcels across the vineyard. Vibrant and super-complex, the 2021 screams with precision right out of the gate. Dark red-toned fruit, dried herbs, mint and sage are some of the many notes that take shape in the glass. The purity of the flavors here is so compelling. My tasting at Hirsch was one of the most impressive I have had at any property anywhere in the world. The 2021 Pinots are off the charts. To their credit, Jasmine Hirsch and Consulting Winemaker Michael Cruse have made all the right adjustments over the last few years. The 2021s were done with no stems, a departure from the past. Two thousand twenty-one is quite simply a magical vintage for Hirsch. The wines I tasted were all magnificent, to the point that picking favorites is really a matter of personal preference more than anything else. Readers will not want to miss these extraordinary wines. Bravo!