Balletto Winery Russian River Valley Estate Pinot Noir 2015
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Wine & Spirits
This wine’s dusty perfume carries the fragrance of red cherries and roses. It’s bright, fresh and breezy, with enough richness to the tannins to ground it. Light enough for grilled salmon, it would also be right at home with a salad of duck confit.
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Wine Enthusiast
This medium-bodied appellation wine is impressive in its combination of crisp red fruit, rhubarb, watermelon and pomegranate flavors alongside a dash of orange citrus. The smooth texture adds to the whole, as does a seasoning of allspice, while the finish is snappy in acidity.
Other Vintages
2019-
Wilfred
Wong
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Connoisseurs'
Guide
The Balletto Family has over 600 acres in the Russian River Valley and select 10% from many different clones and soil types to make their wine. They feel fortunate to sell the remaining 90% of their grapes to other wineries. In July 2010, the Balletto Family was honored being awarded the Sonoma County Farm Bureau Farm Family of the Year.
While the Russian River Valley is a large appellation with multiple climate zones and soil types, it is best known for cool-climate varieties, with Pinot Noir as the most celebrated. The grapes benefit from a reliable late afternoon flow of Pacific Ocean fog through the Petaluma Gap and along the Russian River Valley that ensures slow and steady ripening and the preservation of grape acidity. Today many of California’s most highly regarded Pinot Noir vineyards are in the Russian River Valley, along with its sub-appellation, Green Valley.
Historically Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs had bright red fruit and delicate earthy, mineral notes. But changes in viticultural and winemaking practices have led to stylistic changes in some of the region’s wines. Adjustments to canopy management, among other techniques, have resulted in riper fruit and bolder wines as well. These show flavors of black cherry, blackberry, cola, spice and darker, loamy earth tones, accenting traditional Pinot Noir notes of strawberry, raspberry and light cherry.