93 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"There's a rich cloak of baking spices around pretty strawberry and cherry fruit flavors. The name tips you off that there may be some accent notes of seashells, which come up in the back of the palate as the wine rolls into a drying finish. The vineyard sources are unknown, but the flavors conjure up thoughts of Ribbon Ridge. Drink 2023–2033." - Paul Gregutt (7/1/2021)
92 Points - Vinous:
"Deep magenta. Spice-accented red fruit, floral and succulent herb aromas pick up a hint of smokiness with air. Juicy and expansive on the palate, offering sweet raspberry and cherry flavors underscored by a vein of zesty minerality. Shows fine definition and spicy lift on the persistent finish, which is given grip by slowly mounting, talc-y tannins.
Andrew Rich is a remarkably consistent producer whose wines don’t get the attention they deserve, which continues to be a mystery to me given the quality and value Rich has been delivering since he set up shop back in 1994. Rich studied winemaking in Burgundy before returning to the US to begin his career at Bonny Doon, Randall Grahm’s trailblazing winery in California. He spent six years and five vintages there before heading up to Oregon and falling into the Pinot Noir trap. Today, his tight range of wines have developed an insider following among Pinot lovers who value balance and precision – attributes that are on full display with his 2018s, from a vintage where elegance is hardly a given. Rich isn’t averse to oak; most of his wines see around 25% new barrels, give or take. Wood influence on his wines, especially in richer years like 2018, is negligible, and in pretty much every vintage, I have found that it is absorbed quickly, usually within about five or six years. Rich has long made his wines at the Carlton Winemakers Studio, which I consider a must-visit for anybody touring the Willamette Valley." -Josh Raynolds (Feb 2022)
92 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Sinewy in structure yet complexly layered, with dark plum, crushed stone and savory bay leaf accents that gather tension toward a slight bite of tannins. Hands off for now. Drink now through 2029. 555 cases made." — TF (Oct 31, 2021)
92 Points - Owen Bargreen:
"With no clear vineyard source, the 2018 Andrew Rich ‘Marine Sedimentary’ Pinot Noir offers plenty of salty tones as the name suggests, with bright red fruits that cascade alongside copious minerals on the palate. Despite the heat of the vintage the wine maintains wonderful finesse, finishing long with stony minerals, red raspberry and guava flavors. Drink 2022-2033."
