Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The straight 2012 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley is a gorgeous Pinot. Subtle and nuanced, yet no lightweight, it offers layers of mulled red and black fruits, cinnamon, loamy earth and dried flowers on the nose. Every bit as good on the palate, with a medium to full-bodied, supple and layered profile, it has excellent mid-palate depth, a fabulous texture and a clean finish. It's already hard to resist, but it will evolve nicely through 2022.
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Wine Spectator
A strikingly graceful, complex and layered effort that puts the raspberry, wild berry, anise and floral scents front and center, and keeps them at the forefront through the long, lingering finish. Drink now through 2022.
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.