Winemaker Notes
Medium dark ruby, a classic Pinot Noir aroma of bright cherry mixed with an attractive fresh earth and floral (lavender?) characters. On the palate, there’s a richness and complex dark berry, red plum, bitter chocolate and Asian spice flavor - the finish is warm and long and refreshing ending on the earth/smoke note.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
A very tight-grained and reserved red with ripe strawberry and lemon rind aromas with a medium-bodied palate and racy structure. Orange peel. It’s not giving lots now but will improve and open with age. Try after 2025.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Pinot Noir Moonshine Ranch was matured for 15 months in 80% new oak. It has a pretty perfume of raspberries, strawberries, conifer and pipe tobacco. The light-bodied palate is chalky and refreshing with delicately styled, spicy fruit and a nuanced finish.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2020 Pinot Noir Moonshine Ranch has softer floral tones of incense, dried rose petal, and raspberry. It has a bit more finesse on the palate, with tea leaf, orange peel, and pomegranate. Drink this now or over the next several years.
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.