Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
From the cooler Green Valley portion of the Russian River (it’s all from the Lakeview vineyard), the 2016 Pinot Noir Cuvée Number One comes from the Pommard and 115 clones and was brought up in a mix of new and used French oak. Beautiful red fruits, mulberries, flowers, and exotic spice notes, medium body, an elegant, yet rounded texture, and integrated acidity all emerge from this incredible Pinot Noir that has the class to drink nicely today, yet also evolve for a decade or more
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Situated on the foggier and colder western edge of the Russian River Valley, almost abutting the Sonoma Coast appellation, Green Valley is one of California’s most reputable Chardonnay and Pinot noir producing regions. It is also a wonderful source of sparkling wines made from these varieties.
Goldridge soils abound throughout the Green Valley appellation. This fine, dark, sandy loam and fractured sandstone is derived from the remains of ancient inland seabeds dating back three to five million years. It is valuable for high quality grape growing because of its excellent drainage and low fertility.