Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine shows the power of blending across multiple sites, all vineyard-designates of their own (Martaela Estate, Cohn Estate, Tilton Hill Estate and Zio Tony Ranch). Reductive initially, it is demure in earthy forest, nutmeg and sage as more forceful flavors of rose petal, blackberry and blood orange highlight a lightning rod of fresh acidity.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2017 Benovia Pinot Noir is a red wine with great presence on the palate. TASTING NOTES: This wine is rewarding from start to finish. Pair its lovely aromas and flavors of dark berries and wood with tea-smoked duck over jasmine rice. (Tasted: December 10, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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.