Review: 2024 Sabonis Ones Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Some housekeeping: Sabonis refers to NBA All-Star Domantas Sabonis and his entrepreneur wife Shashana Sabonis. Ones refers to the number 11, which is Sabonis’s jersey number on the Sacramento Kings. While basketball players making wine may sound odd (hey, Yao Ming did it), at least Sacramento is the closest city to California wine country, so this project isn’t quite as wild as you might have guessed.

The new Sabonis brand, launched at the tail end of 2025, is built around premium Napa  and Sonoma fruit, with two bottlings available at launch, a 2023 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2024 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. Joe Harden, lead winemaker at Nickel and Nickel Winery, is running operations for the brand.

We received the pinot noir for review, so let’s dive in.

This is a surprising hearty pinot noir, though it never overpowers, tempering earthy, anise-laced notes with overtones of cherry and raspberry. Lingering notes of graphite threaten to weigh things down, but brighter notes of cocoa powder, cinnamon, and some cloves give the finish a brighter lift, which is further amplified by a late-game twist of orange peel, adding some needed acidity. Broodingly “serious” at times but quite versatile, it’s a special occasion pinot noir worth strong consideration.

A- / $85

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