Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
A riveting wine, with fragrant, delicate plum and black cherry notes. Firms nicely, dipping into red and black licorice flavors, displaying lively acidity and ending with a laser beam of fruitiness. Drink now through 2018.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2009 Pinot Noir Goldridge Vineyard is a juicy, forward wine loaded with expressive dark red fruit, sweet floral notes, licorice and French oak. This plump Pinot Noir is best enjoyed over the next few years, while the fruit retains its juiciness. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019.
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.