Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Smells big and meaty, suggesting earth, mutton, tobacco and anise, but there's also a burst of dark stone fruits, berries and dark chocolate. In the mouth, it's gigantic yet balanced and harmonious. Massive flavors of perfectly ripened berries are offset by gorgeous acids and luscious tannins.
Editors' Choice
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
There are 400 cases of the large-scaled 2000 Pinot Noir West Block Vineyard (from a vineyard planted in 1970). Its dense ruby/purple color is accompanied by a sweet nose of toasty French oak intermixed with raspberries and cherries, a ripe attack, and full body. This stunningly good wine is more showy and open-knit than its siblings.
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.