Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
High-toned contours of red cherry and pomegranate make for a tart profile, edged by tightly wound acidity and underlying freshness. This is an exotic wine that could stand more time in the bottle to truly reveal itself. Enjoy from 2020–2025. Cellar Selection
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Pinot Noir Ten Oaks is pale to medium ruby-purple in color with a very pretty nose of crushed cranberries, red cherries and pomegranate with suggestions of lavender, rose hips, dusty soil and dried Provence herbs. The palate is medium-bodied, finely crafted, refreshing and elegant, offering fine-grained tannins with a bit of stemmy chew and finishing with lingering earth layers.
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Wine Spectator
Though complex and graceful, this avoids excessive weight without sacrificing density, maintaining a fine balance and showing promise for short-term cellaring. Best from 2020 through 2028.
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.