Winemaker Notes
The Graham Family Vineyard is a premier winegrowing estate located in the Green Valley sub-appellation of the renowned Russian River Valley AVA. Founded in 2001 by Howard Graham, the vineyard boasts exceptional terroir, characterized by its deep layer of Gold Ridge sandy loam soil, unique water-holding capacity, and close proximity to the Pacific Ocean – just less than 10 miles away. This unique combination of soil and location, along with cooling ocean breezes, layers of fog, and ample sunshine, creates the ideal conditions for growing high-quality Pinot Noir.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Super bright cherry and raspberry aromas burst from the glass on the nose of this Pinot, while the palate shows plush tannin, zesty acidity and flavors of cherry, cola spice, orange peel and fried shiitake and eases into a long and lifted finish.
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James Suckling
A rather firm texture and bold, bright fruit flavors give this full-bodied red great energy. Black cherries galore, cranberries, black tea and rhubarb bring both ripeness and good acidity for balance.
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Wine Spectator
A ripe, open and expressive style, with blood orange and cherry pâte de fruit notes taking the lead. Laced with sandalwood, red tea and potpourri details through the deliciously juicy finish. Drink now through 2032.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2023 Domaine Della Graham Family Vineyard shows intricate nuances that persist long. This wine excels with aromas and flavors of subtle sandalwood, delicate licorice, and blackberries. It looks like a duck confit match. (Tasted: April 18, 2025, San Francisco, CA)
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2023 Pinot Noir Graham Family Vineyard is a bright red color and offers focused and more restrained notes of clove, cranberries, stemmy spices, and beetroot. It remains light on its feet, with a lean to medium-bodied frame, fine tannins, a soft, stony texture, and delicate spice on the 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.