93-Points by Jeb Dunnuck & Vinous.
Lastly, the 2018 Pinot Noir Akiko's Cuvee is a blend of the Gloria, Yu-ki, and KR Ranch vineyards and spent 11 months in 36% new French oak. There are 450 cases, and its deeper ruby color is followed by a beautifully elegant, classic Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir that has lots of darker raspberry fruits, floral and spicy notes, a touch of forest floor, medium-bodied richness and depth, and a great finish. It's a tighter, more vibrant effort that's going to evolve for a solid decade in cold cellars.
 
Freeman has released an Akiko’s Cuvée each year since our inaugural 2002 vintage. To make this special wine, Akiko Freeman and her winemaking staff taste every barrel of our Pinot Noir from the current vintage and everyone chooses their favorites. Next, each person’s top barrels are blended together to create multiple cuvées. The sample blends are then tasted blind, and a friendly competition ensues. Whose blend will be the team favorite? The resulting wine is called Akiko’s Cuvée, because Akiko’s blend almost always wins.
Jim Pratt’s vineyard on Sexton Road made up 35% of the blend with Dijon  clone 777 and Swiss clone 2A, also known as Wadenswil. The KR Ranch,  formerly known as Keefer, made up 18% of the Russian River blend in 2021  with the Swiss clone 23—also known as Mariafeld—and additional Dijon  777. Freeman has been using Pratt fruit since 2005 and KR since 2004.
 
Historic Award for Akiko Freeman: The Green & White Medal for Agricultural Excellence
Akiko Freeman was recently honored with the Green & White Medal for Agricultural Excellence, becoming the first woman ever to receive this prestigious accolade. The ceremony, held at the Japanese Consul General’s residence in Los Angeles, recognized her for being the first Japanese winemaker with a wine served at the White House and her transformative approach to organic farming. Shinkichki Koyama, who presented the award, said of Akiko, “She worked very hard to achieve the best growing conditions on the property — irrigation, ensuring that the soil was well-drained and well-oxygenated — all with the long-term vision to produce better grapes under organic farming protocols.”