Sphaerics “Superset” Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2024 is the first red wine from this young Sonoma project, founded in 2022 by husband-and-wife team Laura Jones and Brian Ball. The debut Pinot is 100% Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast AVA, sourced from two Martinelli family sites—Frei Road Vineyard and Bondi Home Ranch—where Goldridge sandy loam soils and a cool, ocean-influenced climate shape the wine’s tension and perfume. Production is small, at roughly 200 cases, and the alcohol is listed around 14.2% ABV.
Across critics, the through-line is a Pinot that balances fruit presence with detail and restraint. James Suckling delivers an excellent 96-point review, calling it “the premier release of this wine and an impressive one at that,” highlighting “perfumed aromas of red and black cherries, wet river stones, potpourri, spice and forest floor.” He describes a “mid-weighted” palate with “finely tuned, salivating tannins” and “a detailed finish,” adding that it’s “delicious now and for many years to come.”
Jeb Dunnuck also rates it highly at 95 points, emphasizing brightness and savory nuance: “black raspberries, crushed flowers, rosy perfume, and fresh black cherries,” with “excellent richness and underlying depth without excess concentration.” He notes that “salty accents beautifully frame the supple tannins and bright acidity,” and points to “fresh umami undertones and fabulous resonance” with air, projecting a long window (Drink 2026–2046).
From Vinous, Billy Norris (92–94 points) frames it as a serious start: “a very promising wine that oozes with class,” citing “dark cherry fruit, lavender, underbrush and blood orange peel.” He argues the real distinction is feel and balance—“textural suaveness and delicacy”—and calls it “a very solid debut.”
Taken together, Superset reads as a polished, site-driven Sonoma Coast Pinot with floral lift, dark-leaning cherry fruit, and a mineral-savory edge, built on fine tannins and freshness rather than sheer weight.
