Benziger Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2008

"Extreme" would be a good description of the 2008 vintage. The elements played a huge roll in our vineyard management – from frost, to drought, to high winds, to heat waves and eventually smoke from fires hundreds of miles away, we were hard at work from start to finish. Initially, harvest began early in August, but cooler temperatures slowed things down a bit and the rest of the harvest was evenly paced and lasted into October.

Our 2008 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is a layered wine with lush cherry, plum and sweet earth flavors. In the glass, herbaceous aromas introduce the wine. The appellations cool climate allowed us to craft a Pinot Noir balanced with both red fruit flavors and lean, elegant acidity. The mouthfeel is smooth with a medium to long finish.