2012 Freeman Akiko’s Cuvée Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
405 cases, $62. A barrel selection chosen by Akiko Freeman, Ed Kurtzman and assistant winemaker Mitchell Masotti. A blend of 6 vineyards with the most contributed by Campbell Ranch near Annapolis (clone 777) and the El Coro Vineyard at Keller Estate (Swan and La Tache selection). Aged 11 months in 33% new and 67% 1 to 4-year-old French oak barrels. Moderately dark reddish purple color in the glass. The nose was initially closed for business, opening slowly in the glass with swirling over time to reveal wonderful aromas of blackberry jam, black raspberry coulis, rose petal and spice. Delicious essence of fresh dark berries with hints of cola and Hoison sauce. Modest in weight, but highly flavorful, with suave tannins, a satiny smooth texture and an expansive finish. The balance is spot on and the overall impression is magical. You can drink it now for its elegance, but it will be even better after a few years in the cellar. Best Akiko’s Cuvée ever. 95

Freeman Winery 2012 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast ($45) Silky and smooth with fresh black cherry and spice; savory and lush with notes of earth and toasty oak. 92

Japanese for “cool breeze,” Ryo-Fu is fragrant and perfumed with distinct—and exotic—perfume: jasmine, honeysuckle and other ethereal notes. White chocolate and caramel converge mid-palate with pretty notes of apples and pears and a light nuttiness. The mouthfeel is both grassy and stony. 100% French oak–fermented and aged sur lie for 14 months.

Budget a full morning visit here and take the three-mile self-guided hike that winds through first and second growth redwood forest, to the Yu-ki Vineyard. You'll enjoy Pacific Ocean views and a full picnic lunch of local cheeses, charcuterie and breads paired with a silky, complex Freeman pinot noir.

OWNING A WINERY is many a wine lover’s secret fantasy, but few have made it work in reality as well as Ken Freeman, a managing director at Harpeth Capital LLC, and his wife, Akiko.

After spending three years prowling the back roads of Sonoma County, the couple in 2001 paid $875,000 for a dilapidated winery and a run-down farmhouse on 3.6 acres (1.5 hectares) in Sebastopol, California. Now, they also own 22 acres of nearby vineyards—and their Freeman Vineyard & Winery sells 5,000 cases a year of su-perb pinot noir and chardon-nay at $35 to $55 a bottle...