Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Crafted from some of Hallberg Vineyard's best blocks with a keen focus on clones 667, 777, 828, Pommard and an enigmatic 'suitcase' clone, the 2016 Hallberg showcases exceptional depth with ripe red fruit character largely leaning into cherry, raspberry, strawberry and a hint of dried lavender in the mix. Black tea, savoury spice and silky tannins lay the groundwork for an elegant harmony of fresh acidity, seamless structure and a juicy finish. Drinking Window 2019 - 2024
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Wine Enthusiast
This lush wine offers layers of orange, rhubarb and spice. Black tea and clove chime in, showcasing the beauty and intensity of this wine’s personality.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Pinot Noir Hallberg Vineyard has a pale to medium ruby color and subdued nose of forest floor, bitter citrus peel, tobacco and smoke with a core of ripe red and blue berries. The palate packs in the earthy blue and red fruits, with firm, slightly grippy tannins and a nuanced, amaro-laced finish. Give this some more time in bottle.
Rating: 92+ -
Wine Spectator
Finely textured, with an elegant mix of dried cherry, red currant and plum flavors, knit together by fresh acidity. Well-structured, featuring a long finish that echoes with savory spice and cedar accents. Drink now through 2024.
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Wine & Spirits
This is an earthy pinot from the coastal cool of Green Valley, with meaty notes and dark raspberry flavor. That fruit lasts through the tannins, adding fat to their austere edges, those tannins holding the wine’s juiciness tight.
Imagine a winemaking region just hours north of San Francisco rich in diversity and distinctive terroir, a well-kept secret tucked amongst the towering redwoods and influenced by the Pacific Ocean. Over half a century ago, pioneering growers recognized the Russian River Valley as a place that just might produce Pinot Noir that rivaled the villages of Burgundy. After decades of winemaking and selective planting, their valley has become internationally known for producing Pinot that is distinctly American and reflects the natural influences of their terroir.
Gary Farrell Winemaker, Theresa Heredia, grape growers and other winemakers within the Russian River Valley have always recognized that certain regions of the valley produced distinctly different wines. Since the 2014 Vintage, they have been monitoring whether characteristics like aroma, texture and others can be attributed to specific sections of the Valley. This deep dive into Russian River Pinot Noir has become the Neighborhoods Initiative that is also a hallmark of their Single Vineyard winemaking, and their elevated Salon experiences.
The concept of a neighborhood is truly an American idea, and is more concerned with defining the characteristics a specific cluster of vineyards produce than defining the geographical boundaries. It’s both a sense of community and terroir at the same time
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.