Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
The sister brand to Donum Estate, Stemmler offers amazing value for outstanding wines. This is a case in point. Fresh black cherry, spicy clove and layered acidity combine for a nuanced Pinot that just gets better in the glass, ready to enjoy now yet also structured to grow older gracefully.
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Wine Spectator
Ripe and plush, with plenty of plum, black cherry and raspberry flavors at the core, given complexity by fresh mint, fennel and green tea details. Shows great focus, especially on the finish. Drink now through 2022. 873 cases made.
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.