Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
Their wines are produced by Margaret Davenport, who is well known for her many years at Clos du Bois winery. The inaugural Pinot Noir, vintage 2010, was produced by the original winemaker for Windsor Oaks, Julie Lumgair. They are also very fortunate to have Balverne’s first winemaker, Doug Nalle, consulting on the wines, bringing his years of experience back to the property where he began his career.
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.