Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
From two separate sites, the 2015 Pinot Noir Fog Veil was destemmed and saw a slightly longer time in barrel, being bottled after 15 months. Black cherries, plums, violets, and spring flower notes, medium body, beautifully integrated acidity, and a clean, elegant finish all make for a seriously good Pinot Noir. It’s one of the gems in this lineup.
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Wine Enthusiast
Sizzling acidity enlivens the succulent, juicy fruit in this lush expression of the appellation. Made from grapes sourced in the Olivet Lane area, it builds in exotic spiciness, with forest, herb, earth and tea accents that grace the foundation of strawberry and blackberry flavors.
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.