Winemaker Notes
It has an aroma brimming with dark fruit, including black raspberry, boysenberry, elderberry, currant and wild fraise du bois. Next a floral perfume develops, unveiling lilac, violets, hibiscus, dianthus and fragrant blood-red roses. Brown sugar, salumi, ginger, white pepper, sweet paprika and crushed cinnamon adds a savory, complex dimension to this intricate Red wine. It pairs well with the Lamb Couscous with Mushrooms and Heirloom Tomatoes. The tzatziki sauce is a mouthwatering complement to the other rich ingredients.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Planted in 2006, this vineyard is one of the newer sites for the “Queen of Pinot,” who coaxes a strong-willed, high-strung complement of charcuterie and wild lavender from its vines. Bright red currant and raspberry are met by floral, herbal competition, which vies for attention on the palate, girded by strong tannins and mellow oak.
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.