96 William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"The 2015 Pinot Noir La Côte is fabulous, and probably the greatest offering Domaine de la Côte has released to date—although the 2016 rendition will give it a run for its money in due course. The wine soars from the glass with a bouquet of kaleidoscopic complexity featuring notes of raspberries, red cherries, potpourri, rose hip and sweet spices. On the palate, the La Côte is medium-bodied and expansive, framed by incredibly fine-grained tannins and boasting stunning inner-mouth perfume. The concentration and depth that have been packed into this decidedly elegant, even delicate wine are incredible. This is compelling testimony to what can be achieved in an extreme mesoclimate if one's willing to accept the tiny yields that are essential to achieving full phenolic maturity.

The just-released 2015s are the best vintage yet from Domaine de la Côte...in 2015, stressed vines set a tiny crop, and their shoots didn't reach the top trellis wire. Parr and Moorman observe that as these densely planted vines mature, they're producing more consistent results and delivering slightly higher natural alcohols. To recapitulate what readers may already know, these Pinot Noirs are fermented with significant percentages of whole clusters and without temperature control, then matured in barrels from Tonnellerie Ermitage, the percentage of new wood varying by cuvée. The results are aromatic, sapid reds that evoke the great wines of Burgundy but find a distinctive personality of their own. Without reigniting the stylistic debates that characterized the last decade of California's wine conversation, it's clear that Parr and Moorman have found the perfect site to make the kinds of wines they like to drink, and no one can argue with what they've achieved in 2015 and 2016. To my palate, Domaine de la Côte now numbers among the most exciting producers of Pinot Noir in California precisely because of that synergy between style and site."

93+ Antonio Galloni - Vinous

The 2015 Pinot Noir La Côte possesses inner density and depth that give it an inward, implosive feel. A dollop of whole clusters adds some aromatic nuance. It will be interesting to see if the 2015 opens up over time. Today, it is quite reticent and not ready to show all of its cards.

Rajat Parr and Sashi Moorman made a stellar set of wines at Domaine de la Côte. The 2015 Pinot are deep, fleshy and layered. In particular, the integration of the whole clusters is better than it has been in the past. This cool-climate, marginal site struggles pretty much every year. In 2015, though, all the elements came together to yield a fabulous set of Pinot Noirs. Sadly, yields are down sharply, as they are throughout the region. Parr added that tanks were about a third full during fermentation."