2011 La Neblina Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 91; Wine Advocate (Galloni): 88

2011 Alberigi Russian River Valley Pinot Noir -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92; Wine Advocate (Galloni): 93+

2011 Laguna Russian River Pinot Noir -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 91; Wine Advocate (Galloni): 92

2011 Dierke Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92; Wine Advocate (Galloni): (91–93)

2011 Terra Neuma Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92; Wine Advocate (Galloni): 92

2011 Clos Platt Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92; Wine Advocate (Galloni): 95

2011 Savoy Anderson Valley Pinot Noir -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92; Wine Advocate (Galloni): 94

2011 Las Colinas Sonoma Coast Syrah -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 91; Wine Advocate (Galloni): 92+

2011 Timbervine Russian River Valley Syrah -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92-93; Wine Advocate (Galloni): (93–95)

2011 Dusty Lane Sonoma Coast Syrah -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92–93; Wine Advocate (Galloni): (93–95)

2011 Robert's Block Sonoma Coast Zinfandel -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): (90–92)

STEVEN TANZER'S INTERNATIONAL WINE CELLAR, May/June 2013
"The big news here this year is Eric Sussman's purchase in late 2012 of the old Von Weidlich winery, near Occidental, and its surrounding vineyard of head-pruned, old vine and dry-farmed zinfandel, from which he has purchased fruit since founding Radio-Coteau in 2002. Eric doesn't envision the mothballed winery as of sufficient size for his winemaking needs but the property revolves around a rambling late-19th century farmhouse that he can now call home as well as a collection of quirky outbuildings. Sussman described the 2011 pinots as ‘aromatic and evocative of their sites’ but, as the refrain goes across the North Coast, ‘there's so little of it.’ He called 2011 ‘a year without a summer, but that meant we got extremely long hang time for the fruit,’ and said that there was very little fruit weight because of the tiny berries, their small size ‘amplifying complexity and vineyard expression.’ Sussman began harvesting his pinot noir on September 12 and had all of that fruit safely in before the early October storms, which caused his picking of syrah in the Timbervine vineyard to be split between October 3, the day most of the vines were picked as well as the day before the first heavy rain, and early November for the remaining fruit." – Josh Raynolds


THE WINE ADVOCATE #206, April 2013
"This lineup from Radio-Coteau and proprietor Eric Sussman was among the most thrilling I tasted this year. Radio-Coteau practices sustainable farming and hands-off winemaking, which includes native fermentations, minimal rackings and bottling without fining or filtration. What ultimately counts, though, is what is in the bottle, and more often than not, these are compelling wines that deserve serious attention. Among many things, Sussman told me Syrah did better in 2011 than in 2010. Yields were down dramatically, but the fruit that was left was exceptional." – Antonio Galloni


2010 Savoy Anderson Valley Chardonnay -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): 89; Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92

2010 La Neblina Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): 93; Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92; Burghound: 91

2010 Laguna Russian River Valley Pinot Noir -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): 90; Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 93; Burghound: 90

2010 Alberigi Russian River Pinot Noir -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): 92; Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 93; Burghound: 90

2010 Dierke Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): 94; Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92; Burghound: 90

2010 Savoy Anderson Valley Pinot Noir -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): 94; Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 93; Burghound: 91

2010 Las Colinas Sonoma Coast Syrah -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): 95; Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92

2010 Timbervine Russian River Valley Syrah -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): 95; Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 94;

2010 Dusty Lane Sonoma Coast Syrah -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): 94; Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 93

STEVEN TANZER'S INTERNATIONAL WINE CELLAR, May 2012
"No whole clusters were used in making the 2010 wines here, said Eric Sussman, ‘because there just wasn't enough lignification to warrant it.’ The low yields of the year gave fruit with good natural concentration, he added, and cool conditions kept acidity levels high. ‘was pretty much in the 70s during all of August, and obviously colder at night, which is unheard of here’" – Josh Raynolds

THE WINE ADVOCATE #199, February 2012
"I was only able to taste a handful of wines from Radio-Coteau, but I will be addressing that oversight in the near future. These are some of the most compelling wines being made in California. Proprietor Eric Sussman pursues organic and biodynamic farming with a focus on cooler, marginal growing sites. In the cellar the wines are made with ambient yeasts and natural malolactic fermentations. The wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered with the exception of the Chardonnay, which is lightly fined. Yields were down dramatically in 2010, mostly because of the lower crop set. The Pinots saw 5 days of cold soak followed by 15-17 days of fermentation. The Syrahs are potentially even more interesting, but I wasn’t able to taste a fully representative set of wines." – Antonio Galloni

2009 Savoy Anderson Valley Chardonnay -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): 89; Wine Advocate (Parker): (92-94); Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92;

2009 La Neblina Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): 91; Wine Advocate (Parker): (90-92); Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92; Burghound: 91

2009 Alberigi Russian River Pinot Noir -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): 93; Wine Advocate (Parker): (88-90); Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 95; Burghound: 89;

2009 Terra Neuma Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): 93; (Wine Advocate) Parker: (91-93); Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 93; Burghound: 90

2009 Dierke Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): 90; Wine Advocate (Parker): (91-94); Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 93; Burghound: 90

2009 Savoy Anderson Valley Pinot Noir -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): 92; Parker: (88-90); Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 94; Burghound: 92

2009 Las Colinas Sonoma Coast Syrah -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): 94; Wine Advocate (Parker): (88-90); Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92

2009 Timbervine Russian River Valley Syrah -- Wine Advocate (Galloni): 92; Parker: (91-93); Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 93; Rhone Report: 92+

STEVEN TANZER'S INTERNATIONAL WINE CELLAR, May/June 2011
"According to Eric Sussman, "the 2008 harvest worked out well for syrah because we got a true Indian summer, which gave the grapes a last kick up in ripeness, but not too much." And that was an important point, he added, because "if anything, I like to err on the early side for picking so that freshness is maintained." He absolutely does not want stewed or heavy character in his wines, he said, and being careful not to let sugars run up in the grapes "is one of the most important tasks of the year, and we like to spend a lot of time on the vineyards." The 2009 growing season for pinot played into Sussman's hands almost perfectly, he said. "When you get full maturity with no drop in acidity, that's pretty much ideal, and that's what happened in '09," he told me. "The down side is that it was dry in the winter and spring, and cool during flowering, so yields were diminished somewhat, so it's a slight quality/quantity tradeoff." – Josh Raynolds

THE WINE ADVOCATE #193, February 2011
"Proprietor Eric Sussman seems to go from strength to strength at this small boutique winery. One of the buzz words in the wine world is -natural- winemaking, which has no real definition and is often shamelessly used to promote a certain style of wine. Yet Radio-Coteau is a great example of 'natural winemaking' native indigenous fermentations, incredibly low usage of SO2 and biodynamically farmed vineyards. Then add the fact that the wines are bottled without fining or filtration. Of course, human beings/civilization have to intervene in the winemaking process, so until grapes are produced that can detach themselves from the vine and hop, skip and jump to a fermenter and make themselves, we will never have 100% 'natural' wines. Eric Sussman's three 2008 Syrahs have also turned out fabulously well, with all of them living up to the higher end of my barrel tasting range of scores of last year. The 2009 Syrahs are not as intense as their 2008 counterparts. However, given how Eric Sussman's wines often put on weight in the barrel, my current ratings may look conservative a year from now." – Robert Parker

2008 Savoy Anderson Valley Chardonnay -- Parker: 91; Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 91

2008 La Neblina Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir -- Parker: 90; Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92; I-winereview (M. Potashnik, D. Winkler): 91-93  

2008 Alberigi Russian River Pinot Noir -- Parker: 88; Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 93; I-winereview (M. Potashnik, D. Winkler): 92

2008 Terra Neuma Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir -- Parker: 90; Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92; I-winereview (M. Potashnik, D. Winkler): 91-92

2008 Las Colinas Sonoma Coast Syrah -- Parker: 94; Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 91; I-winereview (M. Potashnik, D. Winkler): 92-93

2008 Dusty Lane Russian River Valley Syrah -- Galloni: 93; Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 94

2008 Timbervine Russian River Valley Syrah -- Parker: 92; Tanzer (Joshn Raynolds): 92-94; Rhone Report: 92

2008 Cherry Camp Sonoma Coast Syrah -- Parker: 95; Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92-94

WALL STREET JOURNAL September 25th, 2010
"Eric Sussman, of Radio-Coteau, apprenticed at Comte Armand in Pommard after studying agriculture at Cornell. Radio-Coteau is his joint venture with Bill and Joan Smith, who make some very fine Pinot under their own name. Radio-Coteau is a colloquialism he picked up in France, meaning broadcasting from the hillside, or word of mouth, which nicely captures the spirit of his venture and that of many of his Pinotphile neighbors. A Pinot Noir specialist, Mr. Sussman buys grapes from cool-site vineyards, mostly in Sonoma County, and sells his beautifully balanced wines largely via his mailing list."
– JAY MCINERNEY

STEVEN TANZER'S INTERNATIONAL WINE CELLAR, May/June 2010
"Like a number of his colleagues in SonomaCounty, Eric Sussman compared 2008 to 2005, with the proviso that "2008 has more depth than '05," adding that yields for his pinots were off by about 30% from 2007 levels. He believes that fans of powerful wines should be gathering up 2007s while they can "because those wines have both ripeness and structure." The frosts of 2008 were the worst in recent memory, he added, which no doubt contributed to the low yields and subsequent concentration of many wines. Sussman believes that 2009 will represent a new high-water mark for his wines "because they achieved complete ripeness at pretty low sugar levels, so we got intensity without excess richness, and that's exactly my definition of great wine."" – Josh Raynolds

THE WINE ADVOCATE #187, February 2010
"An artisanal winery run with meticulous attention to detail by Eric Sussman, Radio-Coteau continues to follow a fair pricing strategy for its high quality Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, Syrahs, and Zinfandels. As a postscript, Eric Sussman told me that his winery was certified biodynamic in 2008. All his fermentations are native (indigenous yeasts from the vineyard), he uses minimal SO2, minimal racking, extended lees contact, and bottles all his wines in house with no fining or filtration. These are all characteristics of the younger generation of conscientious wine producers." – Robert Parker

I-WINE REVIEW, March 2010
"During a recent visit to Russian River Valley we met up with Radio-Coteau winegrower, Eric Sussman to taste his new releases for Spring 2010. Our timing was perfect as Eric was about finished bottling his wines, and we were ready to enjoy them. Readers will recall that last year in January we reported enthusiastically on Radio Coteau’s 2009 Spring releases. This year we are no less enthusiastic. Eric Sussman is a talented winemaker who makes high quality, handcrafted wines in small quantities. He sources his grapes from low-yielding organic and biodynamic vineyards such as Benziger’s Sonoma Coast vineyards and uses native yeasts in conducting his primary fermentation. Eric has made wine in Burgundy and in California with Bonny Doon and later at Dehlinger before launching his own winery in 2002. The wines reviewed here are outstanding examples of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah winemaking. Most the wines are from the difficult 2008 vintage, which saw poor fruit set due to late frosts, resulting in 30-40% reductions in yields in some vineyards. "
– Mike Potashnik and Don Winkler

2007 Savoy Anderson Valley Chardonnay -- Parker: 92; IWC Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92; i-winereview (Mike Potashnik): 92

2007 La Neblina Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir -- Parker: 90; IWC Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92; Burghound: 91; PinotReport (Gregory Walters): 94; i-winereview (Mike Potashnik): 92

2007 Alberigi Russian River Vallley Pinot Noir -- Parker: 91+; IWC Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92(+?); Burghound: 90; PinotReport (Gregory Walters): 94; i-winereview (Mike Potashnik): 91

2007 Savoy Anderson Valley Pinot Noir -- Parker: 92; IWC Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 93; Burghound: 89; PinotReport (Gregory Walters): 96

2007 Terra Neuma Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir -- Parker: 93; IWC Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 93; Burghound: 90; PinotReport (Gregory Walters): 95; i-winereview (Mike Potashnik): 91

2007 Las Colinas Sonoma Coast Syrah -- Parker: 92; IWC Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 92(+?); i-winereview (Mike Potashnik):92

2007 Timbervine Russian River Valley Syrah -- Parker: 94; IWC Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 94;

2007 Cherry Camp Sonoma Coast Syrah -- Parker: 95+; IWC Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 93

2007 Von Weidlich Russian River Valley Zinfandel -- Parker: 91, IWC Tanzer (Josh Raynolds): 94

STEVEN TANZER'S INTERNATIONAL WINE CELLAR, May/June 2009
"Eric Sussman uses only wild yeasts for his primary and secondary fermentations and never fines or filters his wines. He also enjoys the luxury of owning his own bottling line, which is a real rarity for a winery of this size. "I don't want to knock the contract bottlers," he told me, "but when it's bottling season you're at the mercy of all their other clients and their needs. I like to have more control than that." Sussman calls 2007 "a year of exceptional freshness," in which a cool spring followed by a warm summer allowed for steady maturing of the grapes, and the cool fall meant a prolonged, leisurely harvest period that extended into the middle of October. He compares 2007 to 2005. 'But '07 has more power, sweetness and purity.'"-Josh Raynolds

THE WINE ADVOCATE #18, December 2008
"Radio-Coteau is another great success story, with proprietor Eric Sussman producing small–lot, handcrafted wines. Everything is fermented naturally, there are no enzymes, acidulations, very low SO2 is utilized, and the wines are bottled in–house, with neither fining nor filtration. This is always an exciting line–up of wines that remain fairly priced. While I always think of Sussman as a master with his red wine varietals, such as Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Zinfandel, he certainly impressed me with his Chardonnay from the very cool–climate Savoy Vineyard of Anderson Valley." – Robert Parker

I-WINEREVIEW, May 2009
"Our tasting of Radio-Coteau’s Spring new releases revealed fresh and elegant wines with purity of fruit and excellent balance. The success of these wines was somewhat unexpected, as the 2007 vintage looked to be problematic. There was cool weather in the spring and fall, warm and humid summer months, and threatening rain throughout the month of September. Fortunately, however, the good weather held until mid-October, allowing the fruit plenty of time to ripen, and the wines turned out beautifully..."— Mike Potashnik

 

 
2006 Savoy Anderson Valley Chardonnay -- IWC (Raynolds): 92; Parker: 92

2006 La Neblina Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir -- IWC (Raynolds): 91; Parker: 91; Burghound: 90

2006 Alberigi Russian River Vallley Pinot Noir -- IWC (Raynolds): 92; Parker: 91; Burghound: 89

2006 Savoy Anderson Valley Pinot Noir -- IWC (Raynolds): 92; Parker: 92; Burghound: 92

2006 Terra Neuma Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir -- IWC (Raynolds): 93; Parker: (88-90); Burghound: 88

2006 Las Colinas Sonoma Coast Syrah -- IWC (Raynolds): 93; Parker: 92

2006 Timbervine Russian River Valley Syrah -- IWC (Raynolds): 93; Parker: (91-93)

2006 Cherry Camp Sonoma Coast Syrah -- IWC (Raynolds): 92+; Parker: 93

2006 Von Weidlich Russian River Valley Zinfandel -- IWC (Raynolds): 93

 

 
2005 Savoy Anderson Valley Chardonnay -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds), IWC: 90; Parker: 94

2005 La Neblina Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds), IWC: 90; Wine Spectator: 92; Parker: 89; Pinot Report: 94; Burghound (Allen Meadows): 89

2005 Alberigi Russian River Vallley Pinot Noir -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds), IWC: 91; Parker: 90; Pinot Report: 93; Burghound (Allen Meadows): 91

2005 Savoy Anderson Valley Pinot Noir -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds), IWC: 92; Wine Spectator: 90; Parker: 92; Pinot Report: 96

2005 Terra Neuma Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds), IWC: 93; Parker: 92; Pinot Report: 95; Burghound (Allen Meadows): 90

2005 Las Colinas Sonoma Coast Syrah -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds), IWC: 90(+?); Parker: 91

2005 Timbervine Russian River Valley Syrah -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds), IWC: 92; Wine Spectator: 90; Parker: 93

2005 Cherry Camp Sonoma Coast Syrah -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds), IWC: 93; Parker: 94

2005 Von Weidlich Russian River Valley Zinfandel -- Tanzer (Josh Raynolds), IWC: 92; Wine Spectator: 91; Parker: 88

 

THE WINE ADVOCATE #168, December 2006
"Eric Sussman, who apprenticed with Tom Dehlinger, has quickly established himself as an up-and-coming small specialist of single vineyard Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Zinfandel. As with most cutting edge winemakers, Sussman believes in a natural approach to winemaking, including indigenous yeast fermentation, extending aging on lees, little or no racking, and no fining or filtration."

STEVEN TANZER'S INTERNATIONAL WINE CELLAR, May/June 2007
"Eric Sussman told me that he likes to work with barrels made from staves dried for a full three years, and that he doesn't rely on a single cooper. "I mix as I see fit, looking at the fruit, then choosing the cooper," he explained. The soft-spoken Sussman is a methodical, thoughtful winemaker with extensive experience in Burgundy (at Comte Armand, with Pascal Marchand) and an extended stint at Dehlinger under his belt. His wines reflect his Old World training: they are pure expressions of variety and site, and are characterized by silky textures and an emphasis on balance over power."

PINOT REPORT #48, September 15, 2007
"There’s no mistaking Eric Sussman’s passion for Pinot Noir. You only need to visit with him for a few minutes to feel his intensity. He’s equally passionate—and selective—about the vineyards he sources for his Radio-Coteau Pinots, as well as his devotion to a minimalist approach to winemaking. ...There’s no question in my mind that Eric is making some of the best Pinots I’ve tasted in a long time. If Eric’s wines aren’t in your cellar yet, find a way to get them there."

BURGHOUND #28, Fourth Quarter, 2007
"Eric Sussman reports that the 2005 growing season was marked by a cool and wet spring that delayed bud break and resulted in lower quantities overall. Temperatures were distinctly cooler with no real heat spikes which enabled the grapes to retain better acidity and freshness levels and Sussman said that he didn’t finish picking until November! All the wines were bottled unfined and unfiltered. I have been following the Radio-Côteau wines since the 2002 vintage and it appears to me that Sussman continues to refine his touch as the wines seemingly go from strength to strength."
 
 
2004 La Neblina Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir—S. Tanzer, IWC: 89; Parker: (89-91); Burghound: 89; Pinot Report: 94

2004 Alberigi Russian River Valley Pinot Noir—S. Tanzer, IWC: 90; Parker: (89-91); Burghound: 90; Pinot Report: 95

2004 Savoy Anderson Valley Pinot Noir—S. Tanzer, IWC: 92; Parker: (90-93); Burghound: 89; Pinot Report: 97 (#2 Pinot Noir of 2006)

2004 Terra Neuma Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir—S. Tanzer, IWC: 90(+?); Parker: (91-93); Burghound: 90; Pinot Report: 95

2004 Las Colinas Sonoma Coast Syrah—S. Tanzer, IWC: 90; Parker: (87-88)

2004 Timbervine Russian River Valley Syrah—S. Tanzer, IWC: 92(+?); Parker: (90-92)

2004 Cherry Camp Sonoma Coast Syrah—S. Tanzer, IWC: 92; Parker: (90-92)

2004 Von Weidlich Russian River Valley Zinfandel—S. Tanzer, IWC: 91(+?); Parker: (90-92); WS: 90


INTERNATIONAL WINE CELLAR, May/June 2006
"'Two thousand four was a very ripe year, and the heat did not subside in late August and early September,' said Eric Sussman. 'You had to stay on top of things and move quickly.' Sussman has added a couple of intriguing Syrahs to his line-up of wines in 2004, and bottled about 2,600 cases of wine from this vintage. The Syrahs get a full 40 to 50 days on their skins, including substantial post-fermentation maceration. Sussman told me he left his 2004 Pinots on their primary lees for 16 months, without racking, then assembled them in tank and bottled them the next day.”—Steven Tanzer

THE WINE ADVOCATE #162, December 2005
“This was the first opportunity I have had to taste a comprehensive line-up from new kid on the block, Eric Sussman. Sussman appears to be on a fast track to success with his hand-crafted, vineyard-based Pinot Noirs, Syrahs, and Zinfandels. All of [his] wines are fermented with native yeasts, aged on their lees in French oak with no racking, and are bottled without fining or filtration. The vineyard sources are all cool climate sites west of Highway 101 in western Sonoma County. I suspect most of Radio-Coteau’s wines are sold via a mailing list, so readers are urged to sign up.”—Robert Parker

THE WINE SPECTATOR, March 31, 2006: “The Rhone Range”
“[Eric] Sussman doesn’t only make Syrah – the Pinot Noirs and Zinfandels under his label are equally stellar – but the Syrah Russian River Valley Timbervine 2002 (91, $45, 300 cases), an intense and richly flavored wine, demonstrates his commitment to coastal vineyards in Northern California. ‘Syrah in cooler climates have good fruit intensity [and] spice,’ says Sussman. ‘It’s not about making lots of wine, it’s about making really good wine.’”

DECANTER, April 2006: “One to Watch”
“Evidently born with a silver tastevin in his mouth, softly spoken Eric Sussman crafts lusciously pure versions of Pinot Noir, Syrah and old-vine Zinfandel for his Radio-Coteau label. …The result is 2,600 cases of wine offering unambiguous terroir, honest flavours, and a deep purity of expression.”

BURGHOUND.COM, Third Quarter 2006
"The stars in the 50+ producers that follow include Arcadian, Au Bon Climat, Copain, Hirsch, Radio-Coteau, Rhys/Alesia, Rivers-Marie and Whitcraft, and several other wineries...such as Scherrer Winery, The Ojai Vineyard and Talley Vineyards. ...Interestingly, Eric Sussman reports that all his 2004 pinots were left on their primary lees for a full 16 months with no acidification or enzyme additions for clarification and no racking at all, then were bottled unfined and unfiltered. As the scores and commentaries suggest, the results are more than interesting as well!"

PINOT REPORT, Issue #40, August 2006
"There's no question in my mind that Eric is making some of the best Pinots I've tasted in a long time. His 2004s continue to support that belief. If Eric's wines aren't in your cellar yet, find a way to get them there."

PINOT FILE, Volume #6, Issue #6, November 27, 2006
"I recently tasted through the 2004 lineup of Pinot Noirs which were released in March, 2006. Once again, I came away very impressed by the complex array of flavors, the voluptuous textures, and the sensuality that Pinot lovers are always seeking. Radio-Coteau is deservedly a true “cult” Pinot Noir...."

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, John Bonne, December 16, 2006, "The Top 10 American Wine Labels" (Number 10)
"The name of this Forestville winery literally translates as slang for 'word of mouth,' but to winegrower Eric Sussman, it means much more: 'It's the broadcasting of the hillside in the bottle.' Sussman wanted a label for wines like his La Neblina Pinot Noir that would telegraph his vineyards' locale -- all on the North Coast, west of [Highway] 101. He turned to Annapolis, Maryland artist Geoffrey Baker, an old college friend, whose pen-and-ink depiction of coastal waves encroaching on nearby vines is halfway between 'Where the Wild Things Are' and a Hokusai woodblock print. 'He pretty much nailed it,' says Sussman."
 
 
2003 La Neblina Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir—Pinot Report: 93; Oeno-File: 89+; S. Tanzer, IWC: 90(+?); Burghound: 89; Parker: 88; Decanter: 4 Stars

2003 Marsh Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir—Pinot Report: 94; Oeno-File: 93; S. Tanzer, IWC: 91(+?); Burghound: 89

2003 Hellenthal Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir—Pinot Report: 95, Oeno-File: 90; S. Tanzer, IWC: 91; Burghound: 88

2003 Savoy Anderson Valley Pinot Noir—Pinot Report: 95; Oeno-File: 94; S. Tanzer, IWC: 93(+?); Burghound: 91; WS: 92

2003 Timbervine Russian River Syrah—Oeno-File: 95; S. Tanzer, IWC: 92+; WS: 91; Parker: 90

2003 Von Weidlich Russian River Valley Zinfandel—Oeno-File: 92; S. Tanzer, IWC: 93+; WS: 91; Parker: 90


INTERNATIONAL WINE CELLAR, May/June 2005
“Eric Sussman's inaugural collection of 2002s was one of the best new sets of wines I tasted last year, and his performance in the more challenging 2003 season indicates that he's for real. Sussman has produced the same set of bottlings as in 2002 but will have some new offerings in 2004, a vintage he described as even hotter than 2003.Sussman usually pays his suppliers by the acre or by the vineyard block, rather than by volume of fruit, and pays extra for extra work, such as additional passes through the vineyards to eliminate less-ripe fruit. "I'm all about site expression but I don't own any land," he said. Sussman picks his pinot fruit cool, then chills the grapes further and protects them with CO2.They remain on their skins for about three weeks, including a seven-to-ten-day cold soak and a good week or so following the end of the actual fermentation. The malos are generally late (he does not inoculate for either the alcoholic or the secondary fermentation), and the wines are racked for the first time in July, and then again for the bottling. Happily for consumers, Sussman's production will rise from 1,450 cases in 2003 to 2,800 in 2004.”—Stephen Tanzer

BURGHOUND.COM, July 2005
“… As to the wines themselves, you’ll find a few really lovely and highly recommended wines, quite a number of average to good efforts and a few laggards, which frankly is about what you would expect to find. It’s also roughly the same quality distribution that I routinely find in Burgundy though I generally find more wines at the very top of the quality scale. The stars in the 30+ producers that follow include Arcadian, Au Bon Climat, Radio-Coteau, Rochioli, Scherrer and Williams-Selyem though any number of wineries produced one or two wines worthy of your attention. …”—Allen Meadows
 
 
2002 La Neblina Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir—Pinot Report: 92; Oeno-File: 88; S. Tanzer, IWC: 89

2002 Marsh Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir—Pinot Report: 93; Oeno-File: 90; S. Tanzer, IWC: 90 (+?); Burghound: 90

2002 Hellenthal Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir—Pinot Report: 95, “Best Pinot Noir of the Year;” Oeno-File: 90; S. Tanzer, IWC: 93; Burghound: 88

2002 Savoy Anderson Valley Pinot Noir—Pinot Report: 94; Oeno-File: 92; S. Tanzer, IWC: 93; Burghound: 90

2002 Timbervine Russian River Syrah—Rhone Report: 91; Oeno-File: 92; S. Tanzer, IWC: 92 (+?); Wine Spectator: 92; LA Times Wine of the Week; Parker: 94

2002 Von Weidlich Russian River Valley Zinfandel—Oeno-File: 91; S. Tanzer, IWC: 94


OENOPHILE, Vol. 3, No. 1, March 2004
“Radio-Coteau is a new one-man winery that exclusively makes wine from cool climate regions north of San Francisco. Eric Sussman brings considerable experience to this small operation, (1750 cases produced in 2002 - total output will be less in the 2003 vintage) having done stints at various top line producers …

Sussman’s Gallic roots make their presence felt in his winemaking philosophy. He believes high alcohol is something to avoid if at all possible in finished wines (obviously this is something difficult to do in California). All varietals including Zinfandel are raised in French oak (the percentage of new oak varies with the varietal and the year). Pinot Noir received 50% new oak aging (including barrels from Francois Freres (the best barrels for Pinot Noir in my opinion) and Rousseau) while the Syrah was raised in 40% new Taransaud oak in the 2002 vintage. Barrels receive medium to medium plus toasting while the heads remain untoasted. The wines are designed to taste of the vineyard and fruit rather than the barrelmaker.

Despite his desire to avoid high alcohol in the finished wine, Sussman picks the grapes when they taste ripe rather then just by the numbers. Wines are fermented [in open top fermenters]. Radio-Coteau eschews whole cluster fermentation. No percentage of stems are added back in to the vat after destemming either. The wines receive a cold soak that lasts for more than a week. The wines are slightly sulfured during their upbringing and then are bottled unfiltered.”—Daniel Bailey

PINOT REPORT, April 2004
“The Artisan’s Wine …”—Gregory S. Walter
“During my visit with Eric I tasted the 2002 Pinot Noirs as well as his 2003 Pinots in barrel. I tasted his 2002 Pinots again back in my office as a part of my regular blind tastings. … I loved the 2002s and I think the 2003s may be even better. In short, I think Eric is making some of the best Pinots I’ve tasted this year, especially from the Sonoma Coast. Not only are the wines terrific, but his pricing is very reasonable… Radio-Coteau is definitely worth a look—I’d get on board early before everyone else finds out!”

BURGHOUND, 3rd Quarter, 2004, Issue 15
“One of the people attending the pinot tasting described above was winegrower Eric Sussman, who has an impressive resume having worked at Dehlinger Winery and done apprentice work with the Domaines Comte Armand and Jacques Prieur in Burgundy. Over the course of the tasting, I was impressed with the various insights that Sussman had to offer and after some discussion, he later sent me the above wines to sample. These are handcrafted, very small production pinots that are made entirely in the Burgundian model and while Sussman stresses that he’s not trying to make Burgundy, he is trying to emulate their profound respect for the soil. To that end, there are no commercial yeasts or bacteria additions for the primary and secondary fermentations, no acidulation, no clarification or extraction enzymes, there is a 7 to 10 day cold soak and the absolute minimum application of SO2. The 16 month élevage occurs in mostly 3 year air dried French oak barrels and the wines were bottled without fining or filtration in January, 2004. These are very high quality wines, harmoniously blending new world fruit with time honored techniques. Check them out, I think that you’ll be impressed.”—Allen Meadows

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, Thursday July 8, 2004
“Anderson Valley Pinot Noir comes of age: Bucolic back country creates frontline wines.”—Steve Pitcher
“The Pinot Noir revolution happened fairly quietly over the past decade. Folks close to the action knew that a movement was afoot, but wine lovers were mostly unaware that Anderson Valley was being groomed for Pinot Noir greatness, both by many of the valley’s longtime growers and vintners and by newcomers to this peaceful, bucolic region. …Undeniably, Anderson Valley has emerged as one of California’s superb regions for Pinot Noir.”

Noted: “Anderson Valley’s best customers. Wineries outside the Anderson Valley appellation that produce Pinot noir from the region’s grapes (vineyard designation noted): Radio-Coteau (Savoy).”

SAVEUR, June/July 2004
"Good Wine, Ocean View: Sonoma County's dramatic coastline is turning out to be prime pinot noir country"—John Winthrop Haeger
“For most of the last century, the ruggedly scenic ridges along Sonoma County’s Pacific coast were exploited for nothing more ambitious than running sheep. Around 1980, though, a few old hands planted bits of vineyard in the area; today, within a few miles of the ocean, “extreme” viticulture is commonplace, and pinot noir is its holy grail. A veritable who’s who of high-end vintners have trekked here from mainstream abound. … The efforts of all the good producers using coastal fruit have given the area a precocious reputation for quality.”

SONOMA WEST TIMES, April 2004
“Winemaker Wants to Highlight 'Expression of Place' In Wines”
—Corey Young
“Eric Sussman believes that the grapes from vineyards in Occidental, Cazadero and other parts of West County deserve to be showcased in wines all their own, and so the Forestville winemaker has spent most of the last two years working to make it happen. ”
 

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