Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2022 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley is a saturated bright red hue and is ripe and pure on the nose, with notes of red cherry liqueur, pressed flowers, baking spices, and fresh forest earth. It has a rounded feel with a medium-bodied frame and fills the palate pure, ripe tannins and an elegant, weightless feel throughout the finish.
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James Suckling
Savory aromas of dark cherries, cedar, cassia bark and pencil shavings. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and acidity, giving notes of strawberry compote, raspberries, rose hips and dried herbs. Generous and textured, with a fine structure.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The formidable 2022 Kosta Browne Russian River Valley Pinot Noir offers complete palate satisfaction. This wine shows aromas and flavors of attractive sandalwood, dried blackberries, and delicate toasty oak notes. Enjoy this with roast pork tenderloin and a plum compote. (Tasted: April 15, 2025, San Francisco, CA)
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.