This is very mineral, with raspberry, bergamot and some sandalwood. Aromatic. Medium to full body, firm and creamy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Orange peel, too. Chalky. Drinkable on release in 2023, but better in 2024.

Winemaker Jasmine says that 2020 was a warm drought vintage with low yields, tiny berries, and thick skins and while Hirsch is typically a red-fruited site, the vintage shows itself as more savoury and darker with a real tannic edge. Hirsch notes that she felt a bottling of the San Andreas Fault, the winery’s signature bottling, was imperative as it represented the quality she likes to see. I found this wine restrained at first, giving off just hints of crunchy red fruits, cedar, dried florals, and brown spices. It opened to reveal a medium-bodied Pinot Noir with elongated, grippy tannins underneath a warmth of red berry and black cherry fruit. With more air, the tannins become more fine-grained and sandy, and there’s plenty of grip in its pomegranate-acid freshness. 1,760 cases were produced.

At this stage, the 2020 Pinot Noir San Andreas Fault seems to have escaped impact from the season's devastating heat and wildfires. It has slowly opening aromas of cranberry jelly, rhubarb, mossy bark and mushrooms plus touches of cinnamon and potpourri. The medium-bodied palate features concentrated, savory flavors. It has a frame of chalky tannins and seamless acidity with a long, spicy finish.