Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Slightly darker in color (although all of these Pinots have excellent color saturation) is the 2013 Pinot Noir Sexton. This is a broad, rich, concentrated Pinot Noir, with loads of red apple, spice box, strawberry and cherry. The fruit is prominent, with an underlying earthiness as well as forest floor and spice. This complex, grand cru style of Pinot Noir is broad, savory and impeccably well-made. Drink it over the next decade.
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Wine Spectator
Openly fruity aromas of cherry and raspberry tighten, revealing more backbone and structure without losing charm. Ends with a burst of blueberry and wild berry flavors, accented by loamy earth. Drink now through 2023
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.