Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Pinot Noir MacLean's Block comes from an east facing slope just outside the town of Occidental and spent 16 months in 31% new French oak. It’s a complete, balanced, medium to full-bodied effort that does everything right, giving up a huge bouquet of smoky black fruits, tobacco leaf, forest floor, and wood smoke. This big, masculine 2016 has plenty of tannin, a great mid-palate, and no shortage of length on the finish, it just needs 2-3 years of bottle age to show at its best.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Hartford Court Pinot Noir MacLean's Block is medium to deep ruby-purple in color and opens with fragrant notions of wild blueberries, redcurrant jelly, cranberry pie and kirsch plus hints of oolong tea, mossy bark and truffles. Medium to full-bodied, taut and firmly structured, it delivers tons of black and blue fruit layers sparked by earthy accents, finishing long and earthy.
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.