Cobb Pinot Noir Kiser Vineyard Anderson Valley 2019

We’ve been on a Cobb kick – and even though I’ve had a few of the Cobb wines over the years and enjoyed them immensely – I can honestly say the quality, the uniqueness, and the sheer power and age-worthiness of these single vineyard offerings has been a revelation! This might be the biggest and baddest yet – Kiser Vineyard 2019 headed your way!

We’ll say it again – these Cobb wines have experienced a fraction of the recognition they deserve – almost certainly because of their limited production size and mostly direct-to-consumer model. But we worked out an inside track to access some of the best and rarest bottlings of this fantastic producer – and y’all get to reap the rewards on this 95 point stunner!

Located on the north side of Highway 128 in Anderson Valley, Kiser sits atop a knoll, surrounded by redwoods, only a few miles east of the Pacific Ocean. Ross Cobb likens this site to a wilder and harsher version of the Sonoma Coast – with a greater diurnal shift resulting in less fruit-driven but no less rich and intense versions of pinot noir. Kiser yields some of the most angular and structured iterations of pinot noir in the entire Cobb portfolio – and nearly 5 years after harvest – this 2019 Kiser is just now revealing the depth of its immense potential.

The Kiser pinot noir in 2019 spent a total of 22 months in 35% new oak – a longer regimen than usual for the Cobb portfolio (and partially a result of the 2020 fires that followed). The result, according to Antonio Galloni, is "...one of the highlights on this set of new releases from Ross Cobb. Pliant and deep in the glass, with terrific texture and fine balance, the Kiser is superb."

Fermented with some 40% whole cluster fruit, this pinot noir leads with spice and minerals as a sort of early declaration of complexity. The fruit certainly follows, with a core of black cherry, pomegranate, blood orange, and more, all uplifted by floral elements of lilac and lavender. This is deep, intense, and gorgeously structured, with angular lines coated in a silky elegance. Decant it for best enjoyment now, but this wine is just reaching a plateau that should extend for a decade plus! Another Cobb pinot noir feather in the First Bottle cap – at a price that can’t be beat anywhere!

PAIRING IDEAS: In its youth, serve this up with a lean and delicate steak – like filet mignon. A little demi-glace on the side, with some sauteed mushrooms and braised red cabbage – this is a winter feast you won’t soon forget!