Winemaker Notes
A fresh, refined expression of Russian River Pinot. Rigorous analysis of the world’s best Pinot Noirs guided our winemaking practices—clonal selection, whole-cluster fermentation, and an anaerobic approach.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley has savory scents of mushrooms, tobacco leaves and underbrush complementing a core of cranberry and red cherry fruit. The medium-bodied palate is chalky and refreshing with generous, earth-laced fruit and a long, flavorful finish. This is very easy to drink!
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Wine Enthusiast
An earthy, reduced aroma blows off with time and uncovers good, ripe black-cherry and blackberry flavors in this hearty, textural wine. Firming tannins and tangy acidity add a mouth-watering aspect and bring out delicious depth and concentration with repeated sipping.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley pours a ripe transparent ruby, with spicy aromas of cinnamon, ripe cherry, pressed roses, and fresh earth. Medium to full-bodied, it has good freshness and a spicy character on the palate, with ripe cherry and wild raspberry, and offers refined tannins, fresh acidity, and good structure. Drink it over the next 6-8 years.
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Wine Spectator
Shows bramble-laced kirsch and plum notes that have good energy, with a kick of singed spices and incense adding range and energy to the finish.
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.