Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of bright raspberry, purple flowers and Bing cherry waft from the glass on the nose of this punchy and intense Pinot. The palate delivers a wave of juicy orange peel acidity, plush tannin and flavors of berry pie filling, cedar, black tea and roses. Lovely stuff.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2023 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley is a bright red color and leads with lifted notes of clove spice, cranberries, cinnamon, and roses. The palate offers a more linear feel, with a medium-bodied frame, refreshing acidity, and fine tannins. It gently tapers on the finish and is a highly charming wine to drink now or over the next several years.
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Wine Spectator
Morello cherry, hibiscus, damson plum and iris notes move in lockstep as they breezily stream through the anise-tinged finish. Lightweight but pure and inviting.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2023 Domaine Della Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is delicate, refined, and bright on the palate. It reveals aromas and flavors of fragrant sandalwood, wild strawberries, and a subtle chalky minerality. The texture is silky and vibrant, finishing with a crisp, lingering bite that captures the essence of its cool-climate origins. Enjoy this elegant Pinot Noir with herb-crusted roast leg of lamb accompanied by Provençal vegetables—a pairing that beautifully echoes the wine’s finesse and subtle spice. (Tasted: April 18, 2025, San Francisco, CA)
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.