97+ Point Cool Climate Cult Wines From Cali: CERITAS!

Hi there wine chums,

 

Wine blurb… On a Thursday?? Yes, a busy week and one spent tasting bonkers Riesling on Tuesday – more on that to follow over the coming days.

 

Very exciting wine below, so much of it in fact, that I’m going to do my best to keep my notes brief, but there is quite a lot to cover, will do best to stick to the point!

 

We will be looking at one of my favourite new wave producers form California, the cult status Ceritas. These guys make some of the most delicate, unbelievably precise, and ethereal Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays Cali has to offer. I mean I’m talking about wines that are mainly clocking in at 12% peaking at 13% abv, yet have layer upon layer of delicate structure and effortless finesse and enviable concentration.

 

When I say I’m excited to have any, I mean this, as they sell directly form the vineyard to restaurants or to clients and only an absolutely tiny amount goes in to retail, in fact, it’s fair to say hardly any does, as most of the time if you can find it, it will be online and normally through a broker or client based selling system. So, the fact that I have enough to offer here direct to you at superb prices, (as everything was bought EP) and a bit to adorn the shelves at the shop really is saying something. It’s saying, I worked hard to achieve the allocations and am mad keen on the wines. To make matters even more exciting, the scores these wines have received are just outrageous (like 97-100pt territory across the board) – which makes me very happy as I don’t want to be steering anyone wrong on here. But with wines so utterly fantastic, it’s hard to pick badly.

 

Ceritas started in 2005 and work with grower/farmers to source their grapes, mainly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, choosing to work closely with their partners in vine, often in the vineyard with them listening, learning and working in order to produce the best wines possible, that speak of place and time gaining as deep an understanding in to each terrain as possible. Some of the vineyard parcels are effectively Monopole and as a result exclusive to Ceritas, meaning no one else has access to some of these most revered and sought after clones, vines and locations.

 

Wine making is broadly low intervention, biodynamic, organic and sustainable, but they are not dogmatic in their approach and allow for flexibility where necessary in order to craft the most perfect expressions of vintage, varietal and terroir. Old, traditional techniques that have worked from the ages to now are favoured, with health of the land and the vines held to the highest importance. Old vines and small parcels are favoured. In terms of planting, vine density is high, some of the vineyards were the most densely planted at the point of planting, leading to small vines, small berries and incredible concentration.

 

Locations are mostly in the upper west coast of Sonoma, around Fort Ross-Seaview AVA and Occidental. High elevations above the fog line, very close to the sea, and cool climate are the key characteristics of Ceritas’s vineyard selection. A small amount of fruit comes from the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, once again, combing stunningly high-altitude vineyards at 2000+ft elevation and then the low-lying valleys close to the sea, made from decomposed oceanic marine soils, perfect for mineral and maritime expression. A tiny proportion of Cab Sauv is taken from Napa. Even the Cab is pure, energetic, juicy and made in a fresher style than most, with amazing concentration from small berries and full of dynamic energy.

 

Below are wines from the amazing 2022 and stellar 2023 vintage. These wines will be available from early November.

 

Forgive me using critics notes this time around. There’s just so much to get through and this would become an essay if I were to use all my own descriptors. I can hand on heart tell you that I have tasted these wines over multiple tastings form the 2019 vintage to current and the scores do not lie, neither does my avid following of Ceritas. If you wanted a top pick in the Pinot department though, my heart always lies with Annabelle. My first love when I encountered the collection of wines and still continues to be to this day. In terms of Chardonnay, a note has to go to Mr Pajaro and I also love the Carex. But it is splitting hairs to some extent. All the wines are magical. At around £100 per btl, I still think there is value to be had here and all would make awesome additions to the Xmas day table, be it Turkey, Chicken, Salmon or Duck on your plate – so do think about a special bottle or mix of bottles for the big day or days to come!

 

 

Vintage 2022

 

 

Ceritas Trout Gulch Chardonnay 2022 12%abv £90 p/b

A bright straw hue, the 2022 Chardonnay Trout Gulch is bright and lifted with fresh, savoury aromas of lemon balm, saline, fresh apples, and white flowers. Medium-bodied, it has a lovely floating feel, with a pithy, chalky texture, pure lime freshness, and good lift on the finish. Drink 2025-2035. [Jeb Dunnuck, 27/06/2024] 94pts

 

Ceritas Elliot Pinot Noir 2022 13% abv £105 p/b

More tannic and chiselled, the 2022 Pinot Noir Elliott comes from the West Sonoma Coast AVA and offers a more compact profile on the nose at this youthful stage, with notes of wild raspberries, fresh wild herbs, roses, and pine. The medium-bodied palate boasts a wonderful structure, with soiled tension and a ferrous quality, with iron-rich notes of blood orange pith and a long finish. It’s going to need time in the cellar to unfurl. Drink 2025-2045. [Jeb Dunnuck] 98pts

 

Ceritas Hellenthal Pinot Noir 2022 12.5% abv £105 p/b

A jewelled ruby colour, the 2022 Pinot Noir Hellenthal Old Shop Block has a crystalline feel, with fantastic purity in its note of fresh cherries, rocky earth, saline, and a hint of savoury umami. Long on the palate, it is saturated and has an expansive energy, with ripe tannins and a long, long finish. It is only going to improve as it starts to develop its more tertiary notes. Drink 2025-2040. [Audrey Frick, Jebdunnuck.com] 98pts

 

Ceritas Cuvee Annabelle Pinot Noir 2022 12.5% abv £105 p/b

The medium ruby 2022 Pinot Noir Cuvee Annabelle comes from a very exposed site along the West Sonoma Coast and boasts a fantastic and spicy nose of gravelly rich earth, Asian spice, cranberries, cinnamon, and bergamot. The palate is packed with tension and salty freshness, with a muscular structure and a great finish. Never mistake its power for being heavy, as there is outstanding linear energy and a delicate warmth on the long finish. Drink over the next 15 years. [Audrey Frick, Jebdunnuck.com] 97pts

 

 

2023 Vintage

 

 

Ceritas Charles Heintz Chardonnay 2023 12% abv £90 p/b

A shade deeper but still a brilliant yellow/straw hue, the 2023 Chardonnay Charles Heintz reveals notes of fresh pineapples, wet stones, fresh flowers, and citrus oils. Full-bodied, it saturates the palate with an opulent, silky texture, though it remains focused, its intense clarity balanced with mouthwatering salinity and a long finish. It’s both approachable now but has the ability to age over the coming 15 years. [Audrey Frick, 02/07/2025 Jebdunnuck.com] 98pts

 

Ceritas Carex Chardonnay 2023 12% abv £90 p/b

The 2023 Chardonnay Carex is a bright straw/yellow colour. It has delicate, fresh reduction and is refreshing and expressive, with aromas of sea spray, jasmine, lemon balm, and elegant toasted spice. The palate has fantastic structure and is laser-focused and refreshing, with brilliant transparency and a chalky texture. Carex comes from the DuMOL estate and the Wente Hyde selection of Chardonnay, planted with meter-by-meter spacing. Drink 2026-2038. [Audrey Frick, 02/07/2025 Jebdunnuck.com] 96pts

 

Ceritas Zephyr Chardonnay 2023 £90 p/b

A bright yellow/silver colour, the 2023 Chardonnay Zephyr is from a cool climate site in Freestone above the valley, planted to the Mt. Eden clone. The palate has an elegant mouthfeel along with lovely notes of lime cordial and salty earth. It has a wild, savoury feel, with its toasted spices coming through on the finish. It’s one of my favourite wines I’ve ever tasted from Ceritas. It feels so complete, with purity and fantastic length, as well as underlying density and ripeness, within a medium-bodied frame. Drink 2026-2040. [Audrey Frick, 02/07/2025 Jebdunnuck.com] 97pts

 

Ceritas Mt Pajaro Chardonnay 2023 12% abv £90 p/b

A new wine in the range, the 2023 Chardonnay Mt. Pajaro comes from a site owned by Rhys in the Santa Cruz Mountains, close to Trout Gulch and plated with meter-by-meter spacing and curated clusters. This wine boasts a shade deeper yellow hue and is savoury with aromas of bright fantastic reduction (feels like Burgundy), dark stones, beeswax, green apples, and white pineapples, as well as savoury and mineral notes. This would be a great wine to throw into a blind tasting with a great white Burgundy. It’s medium to full-bodied, with a silky, profound, stony texture, a note of lemon oil, and pristine clarity. Just when I think these whites can't get better, I taste this is one, clearly one of the best white wines from Ceritas. Drink over the coming 20 years. [Audrey Frick, 02/07/2025 Jebdunnuck.com] 98pts

 

Ceritas Mindego Pinot Noir 2023 12.5% abv £110 p/b

Coming from Santa Crus Mountains, the 2023 Pinot Noir Mindego Ridge is a bright transparent red colour and is vibrant, spicy, and true to this vintage. It smells like Braulio, with crazy cool aromatics of Amaro fresh herbs, orange peel, fresh spices, compact red berries, and cranberries. The palate is fantastically fresh and pure, floating on the palate with refined, well-defined tannins and an even feel with a floating finish. It’s incredibly complex and haunting. Drink this over the coming 15 or more years. [Audrey Frick, 02/07/2025 Jebdunnuck.com] 96pts

 

Ceritas Hellenthal Pinot Noir 2023 12.5% abv £110 p/b

A youthful red colour, the 2023 Pinot Noir Hellenthal Old Shop Block is a more enveloping wine, with more notes of mossy earth and ripe black raspberries. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied but rounded and supple, with a silky texture and an enveloping feel. Tasted as a barrel sample, it’s more primary at this stage, but I sensed an underlying savouriness. [Audrey Frick, 02/07/2025 Jebdunnuck.com] 95-98pts

 

Ceritas Trout Gulch Pinot Noir 2023 12.5% abv £110 p/b

The 2023 Pinot Noir Trout Gulch was tasted as a barrel sample. It’s refreshing and pure on the nose, with notes of mixed berry fruit, floral perfume, and fresh piney herbs. The palate is medium-bodied, with a fresh, stony texture and a more refined tannic structure. It’s a lovely, mineral-driven wine with a wild, salty, savoury finish. [Audrey Frick, 02/07/2025 Jebdunnuck.com] 96-98pts

 

Ceritas Chloe Pinot Noir 2023 13% abv £110 p/b

he 2023 Pinot Noir Cuvee Chloe is so pretty on the nose, with a floral/wildflower perfume in its notes of wild fresh raspberry and crushed stones. It has a vibrant feel as it opens, and the palate is refined and pure, with compact, polished tannins and a refreshing feel. Drink 2025-2040 [Audrey Frick, 02/07/2025 Jebdunnuck.com] 97pts

 

If you’ve made it to here, then well done! Amazing wines, bolstered by impressive.

 

I can’t wait to hear from you with any orders. Orders for cases, mixed cases or single bottles all very gratefully welcomed. Whether you’re dipping your toe in or collecting for the cellar, these are not to be missed. The range is broad but volumes of each are not deep, so raise hands as soon as you can to secure your haul.

 

Many thanks.

 

Best

Jim