Aubert UV-SL Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012

Mark Aubert’s far-west Sonoma Coast Pinot from the near-perfect 2012 vintage — 95 points from Vinous, now 14 years on and in its drinking window.

Taste
Dark red cherry, plum, baking spice, and menthol, with rose petal and loamy earth. Broad, ripe, and intense for Pinot — Aubert’s most powerful Pinot site — with ample texture and a long spiced finish.

Region
From the UV-SL Vineyard near Occidental, six miles from the Pacific on the far-western Sonoma Coast. Named for grower Ulises Valdez and his Stoetz Lane home ranch, it was planted to Pinot Noir in 2006 with Mark Aubert, the Chardonnay specialist behind Lauren and Ritchie.

About This Wine
Body: Full body, for Pinot · Acidity: Moderate, ripe · Texture: Broad, plush, soft tannin

Best For
Dinner with duck or lamb, gift for a California Pinot collector, mature mailing-list Pinot without the waitlist

For Who
Pinot drinkers who prefer power to delicacy, collectors of Aubert’s mailing-list wines, hosts serving richer dishes

Similar To
If you like Kosta Browne, Marcassin Pinot, or Peter Michael Le Moulin Rouge, this is the same rich, ripe Sonoma Coast register — from one of its most sought-after names.

Pairing
Duck breast, lamb loin, roast pork with plums, mushroom risotto, Korean BBQ (pork belly, bulgogi), aged Gruyère

Drink Window
Drink now through 2027. Mature — no further cellar time needed.

Collector Note
2012 was the “Goldilocks” Sonoma vintage — long, moderate, no heat spikes — and Aubert called it the greatest he had seen in 29 years. Antonio Galloni gave the UV-SL Pinot 95 points, calling it the most complete and intense of Aubert’s Pinots. Aubert sells only through its mailing list; this is a library bottle from that allocation. Decant 30 minutes.

Mood
Rich, mature, allocation, generous

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is UV-SL?
A: The vineyard’s name, not a technical term. UV stands for Ulises Valdez, the grower who farmed for Aubert, and SL for Stoetz Lane, the road to his home ranch near Occidental. Aubert makes both a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir from the site.

Q: Is a 14-year-old Sonoma Coast Pinot still good?
A: This one is. Aubert’s Pinots are built ripe and dense, and Galloni’s original note said it needed a lot of time. 2012 gave it the structure to hold; expect dried cherry, spice, and earth rather than primary fruit.

Q: How does this compare to Aubert’s Chardonnays?
A: Same winemaker, same coastal site, opposite color. Aubert made his name with rich, layered Chardonnay; the Pinots are made in the same generous style, and this is the most powerful of them.