Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2003 Pinot Noir River Block exhibits classic aromas of raspberries, cherries, Allspice, plums, and kirsch. Medium-bodied and rich, with wonderful flavor intensity, but not a great deal of weight, this is a typical cool-climate, phenolically ripe Pinot offering elegance along with authoritative flavors. Sadly, there are only 300 cases.
Range: 92-94 -
Wine Spectator
Wonderful intensity and purity of flavor, with layers of boysenberry, huckleberry and raspberry fruit that's focused, complex and concentrated, finishing with a long, persistent fruit-driven aftertaste. This producer at its finest.
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.