Welcome to Ken's Wine Guide

....in search of the perfect bottle of Wine!

Today's Wine Review

2023 Tongue Dancer Pinot Noir "Putnam Vineyard"

Tongue Dancer 2023 Putnam Vineyard Pinot Noir

Winery: Tongue Dancer

Vintage: 2023

Wine Name/Vineyard: "Putnam Vineyard"

Wine Category: Pinot Noir

Grape blend: 100% Pinot Noir

Bottle size: 750 ml

Region: West Sonoma Coast

State or country: CA

Price: $75

Cases produced: 150

KWG Score: 92.6 (based on 3 reviews)

Ken's Wine Rating: Very Good+ (92)

Review date: July 17, 2026

Wine Review: This clear and medium ruby colored Pinot Noir from Tongue Dancer opens with an oolong tea and rhubarb bouquet with hints of cinnamon and oak. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with integrated medium acidity. The mouthfeel is nicely balanced, round, and delicate. The flavor profile is a black plum and black pepper blend with notes of gentle tobacco and cinnamon tea. We also detected hints of cranberry. The finish is dry, and its flavors, acidity and managed medium tannins are nicely extended. We would pair this Pinot with turkey dinner with cranberry, sausage stuffing, and gravy. Enjoy - KWGTP

Winemaker Notes: Vintage 2023 was the chilliest on record since 2011 (we harvested in November!). While we are used to have fruit from this site come in last (it didn’t), we were NOT prepared for it to be so full of flavor and just bursting at the skins. This is BIG GIRL, and most definitely not for the faint of heart. After ten years of getting fruit from Putnam Vineyard, this vintage is the end of curvy ride for us. While we loved having the adventures that the site gave us, we are ready to give the reins over to another producer. Cliff and Puanani Putnam are as charming as they are farmers, and we are grateful for their trust in our abilities to showcase their amazing fruit. We hope you enjoy this wine from one of the best vintages we’ve ever made. This is a wine for your cellar.

Buy it: Use Google to find stores that sell this wine

More recent wine reviews

Sojourn "Rosé of Pinot Noir" 2025 Rose

Amici "Sonoma Coast" 2024 Chardonnay

J. Lohr "Fog's Reach" 2024 Pinot Noir

Pedroncelli "Sonoma Classico" 2023 Red Blends or Varietals

Beringer "Private Reserve" 2024 Chardonnay

See the 100 Latest Reviews

Rileys Rows Fall Wine Special Ad
Merriam Vineyards
Colonial Spirits of Acton. Buy Wine online

From our blog

Experience A Visit To Sonoma County Wineries This Summer

This is our first blog post on discovering the wineries that we cover and the experiences they offer their guests when they visit. Each quarter, we hope to refresh and provide a new list of recommendations and share these experiences with our readers. One of the most frequent questions I get is, which wineries should I visit? Beside the impressive wines these wineries make, we hope to showcase why you should visit and experience their winery and vineyards. Read This Blog Post

Winemaker Interview Series – Melissa Stackhouse of Dutton Goldfield - April 2026

On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, we interviewed Melissa Stackhouse once again. Melissa is the Winemaker at Dutton Goldfield. During the interview, we covered the winery’s 2025 vintage Pinot Blanc and one of their single-vineyard 2023 Chardonnay wines. Then we covered seven single-vineyard Pinot Noir offerings from the 2023 vintage. We always enjoy our visits with Melissa. As you might expect, it was another great tasting! In this post, Melissa shared updates since our last chat. You can also read our reviews of all of these terrific new Dutton Goldfield wines. Read This Blog Post

Winemaker Interview Series – Mike Waller – Calera Winery - March 2026

On Wednesday, March 26, 2026, we interviewed Mike Waller. Mike is the Winemaker at Calera Winery. We covered the winery’s 2024 vintage Chenin Blanc and their 2023 Mount Harlan Chardonnay. Then we covered six single-vineyard Pinot Noir offerings from the 2023 vintage. As it always is with Mike, it was another great tasting! In this post, Mike shared updates since our last chat. You can also read our reviews of all of these terrific Calera wines. Read This Blog Post

KWG Newsletter Ad