Winemaker Notes
This supple and textured Pinot Noir has a lovely garnet robe and a nose of plum, strawberry, cherry cola, and hibiscus. On the palate pomegranate and raspberry fruit provide a lively tanginess and dance with more earth-driven notes of tea, gravel, and autumn leaves. Barrel spice and toastiness suggest blueberry cobbler, baking spice, and rose petal on the finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas and flavors of ripe strawberries, pie crust and smoked meat. It is luscious and flavorful with a full body, round tannins and a delicious finish. Typical for Russian River.
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.