Winemaker Notes
Ripe fruit aromas of cherry and blackberry preserves combine with spicy notes of nutmeg, vanilla and cloves. This wine is full-bodied with a rich mouthfeel and smooth tannins that give way to an elegant finish.
This refreshing, fruity Pinot Noir is wonderfully versatile and pairs well with a wide variety of foods including maple-glazed chicken breasts with mustard jus, grilled salmon with teriyaki shitake, and fennel-garlic pork roast.
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.