Winemaker Notes
The nose shows intense black cherries, blackberries, blood oranges, honeysuckle blossom, rose petals and white pepper. On the palate, black cherries, blood oranges, pomegranates, nutmeg, with a long finish and round, velvety tannins and an elegant finish.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Piquant and delicately oaky red fruit nose, boosted by notes of leather, black cherry, coffee and cedar. The sleek attack is followed by raspberry freshness, ripe dark fruit and a hint of tea leaf. This shows fine complexity and will certainly develop well with time in bottle.
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Wine Enthusiast
High-toned red fruit is complemented by citrus-squeezed vibrancy in this full-bodied red, that presents as fleshy on the palate. A grit of oak adds power to the lengthy spicy finish.
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.