Winemaker Notes
The 2020 Gloria Estate Pinot Noir displays a deep purple color, along with gorgeous aromas of red roses, maraschino cherries, walnuts and subtle tar. The palate is warmer than that of its sibling Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, with moderate acidity and a stronger tannic backbone. Deep and perfectly ripe, the wine has berry notes accompanied by French oak Flavors that carry over to the incredible ?nish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is very irony on the nose and palate, with a metal-shavings undertone to the strawberry and lavender , as well as some orange peel. Medium to full body. Chewy finish. Very structured with backbone.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Situated on the foggier and colder western edge of the Russian River Valley, almost abutting the Sonoma Coast appellation, Green Valley is one of California’s most reputable Chardonnay and Pinot noir producing regions. It is also a wonderful source of sparkling wines made from these varieties.
Goldridge soils abound throughout the Green Valley appellation. This fine, dark, sandy loam and fractured sandstone is derived from the remains of ancient inland seabeds dating back three to five million years. It is valuable for high quality grape growing because of its excellent drainage and low fertility.