Winemaker Notes
On the palate, earthen aromas give way to sumptuous dark cherry, briar fruit, crushed raspberry, and mountain strawberry framed by round, supple tannins, clean, bright acidity, and a long focused finish.
Pair with a traditional coq au vin, roast squab, or in early spring—fresh morel mushrooms.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Pinot Noir Cuvee Agustina Katherine Lindsay Estate leaps from the glass with floral notes of roses and violets over a core of crushed cherries, mulberries and fallen leaves with a hint of mossy bark. Richly fruited, concentrated and wonderfully minerally in the mouth, the tannins are oh-so-fine and grainy yet firm, and it finishes with great freshness and beguiling minerality.
Range: 97-99 -
James Suckling
Big and powerful with loads of fruit and richness. Full and massive. Layers of fruit. This will need time in bottle.
Range:93-94
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.