We are excited to announce that on MAY 1ST AT 8AM PST allocations for our late spring release will be available. This offering includes 2012 Charles Heintz Vineyard Chardonnay, 2012 Porter-Bass Vineyard Pinot Noir and 2012 “costalina” Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. All of these wines are home to the West Sonoma Coast region.
And FYI, pricing: Heintz $55, Porter-Bass $65, Costalina $42.
Like all good things, the prices are creeping up. Dammit.
Heintz seems to be up by $5. The costalina looks to be the same and the PB pinot has never been offered before.
FWIW, these were all poured at the pick up party and of course… they are outstanding.
I saw Alan taking notes, maybe we can convince him to post a few! 
Ahhh, I was thinking it was the P-B Chardonnay, so good point.
I don’t have the exact pricing since I didn’t order any and it’s not on the website any more, but for comparison I believe the Littorai Mays Canyon (= Porter Bass) Pinot is at least $70 and possibly $75 (or above). Altho you might expect Ceritas to get a break on grape pricing since it is Phoebe’s family’s vineyard…
I almost wish I hadn’t tasted these at the pickup party - trying to save some $$ to go all-in for Escarpa and Hellenthal in the Fall, and this release is making that really hard.
time to pop a costalina and think long and hard…
Word. I almost pulled one of my 2011s for an offline this week, so close. I’ll be a buyer of the 2012. The 2011 was fantastic, John, so I’d expect the same approach for 2012 and another great bottle. I’ll probably take a couple of the other two to have a balanced order but the Costalina is my focus.
You won’t have to think very long as Frank said the 11 was fantastic IMO
I pitty da fool who doesn’t take his own notes 
More quick impressions than notes:
2012 Chardonnay Heintz - medium rich, very flavorful, good acidity, hints of dried apricot and pineapple, has that almost tropical intensity I’ve come to expect from Ceritas, while holding excellent balance and avoiding any sense of overripeness. Kind of a common theme between what Ceritas and Rhys do with Chardonnay.
2012 Pinot Coastalina - medium rich, medium light in body, with a black cherry note and touch of sweetness on the finish. One to drink earlier.
2012 Pinot Porter-Bass - more reserved than the Coastaline, tight and somewhat backward, with reserved black cherry, excellent acidity, a touch woodsie with some nice minerality. One to put away and let develop for a few years.
Alan and others who have tasted, do you have any thoughts as to how the Costalina compares to other similarly priced pinots of similar balance? For instance, Copain Voisins, appellation wines from Kutch, Rhys, Littorai, etc. I’m really trying to limit CA pinot purchases and was going to skip Ceritas SVDs and see if I can be happy with Coastalina to save some $$, but would you recommend buying Escarpa or other SVDs, just fewer bottles? In the past I have opened one Escarpa and loved it, have never had Coastalina.
Alan - I did not purchase the '11 Coastalina so I can’t speak to that, but I have purchased some of the Escarpa every year. This is certainly a fine pinot, but up to this point I think the chards are where Ceritas really shines. It will be interesting to see what direction the pinots take as more SVD offerings become available.
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I agree with Russ in that thus far it is the chardonnay at Ceritas that has really turned my head. Certainly way too soon to discount the potential of the pinot, of course, but nor am I motivated to load up on them.
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Littorai’s Porter Bass pinot (Mays Canyon to them) was $65 for the 2010. I can’t find any subsequent pricing, but it’s fair to assume the 2012 was released at $70 as pricing has crept up there as well.
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The 2012 Heintz, at the Ceritas open house, was exceptional.
+2, their chards are real head turners, right there with LF and Marcassin as my current faves from CA.
I was there at the open house and have to say the '12 Coastalina was my favorite of the bunch of pinots, liked it more than the Escarpa. Didn’t write notes down but what I remember it was the most accessible, forward wine of the bunch that had a nose that went on and on and on to the break-of-dawn. The mixed floral and sweet berry bouquet is still ingrained in my head today, loved that wine! On the other hand the new Porter-Bass pinot from what I remember wasn’t as memorable. As Alan stated, very reserved, wasn’t giving up too much, more savory from what I recall.
I only buy the chards, but would love to see how the pinots turn out with a bit of age.
According to Wine Release the '11 and '12 Littorai Mays Canyon Pinots were $70.
Agree that the '12 Costalina was the most open and accessible of the Pinots at the pickup, which I guess is what you’d expect. Also agree the Porter Bass Pinot was pretty tight, but even so it had one of the most distinct fresh red cherry flavors that I’ve ever gotten from a Pinot. Hellenthal and Escarpa were all about potential.
And yeah, that '12 Heintz was superb.
Anyone care to discuss a comparison of Littorai to Ceritas Chardonnays and Pinots?
Had a great littorai Heintz Chardonnay earlier this year (2008?, too lazy to look it up)
Ceritas wins on pricing.
From recent IPOB tasting…
Prefer Ceritas Chardonnay - more cut, verve and overall power (not in an oaky way)
Prefer Littorai Pinots - more elegant, has more finesse, no cherry cola flavors, hate to say the “B” word but definitely more Burgundian
Ceritas Pinots - more inline with typical CA pinots but with a bit less oak and more balance. however, tasted blind, this will not be mistaken for Burgundy (although some will argue that it shouldn’t)
Littorai Chardonnay - a bit too thin for my taste, lacks a bit of verve and weight.