Winemaker Notes
This bottling is from a small triangle shaped vineyard on the southern end of our property. The wine has aromas of ripe cherry and spice with a touch of anise with concentrated flavors of bright fruit that are balanced and rich.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Pinot Noir Three Corner from the Russian River Valley spent 15 months in 50% new French oak. Black cherries, mulberries, spice, crushed rocks, and floral notes all emerge from the glass. It's medium-bodied, fresh and tight, with a vibrant, structured style that's going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age. Nevertheless, the balance is perfect, there's ample ripe tannins, and it has terrific length. Count me impressed.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2016 Pinot Noir Three Corner Vineyard gives up tons of black raspberries, black cherries and wild blueberries notes with nuances of dusty soil, charcoal and Indian spices plus a hint of smoked meat. Medium to full-bodied, the palate features refreshing acidity and is firmly textured with finely grained tannins, framing the taut, muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy.
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.