Ron Rubin Russian River Valley Pinot Gris 2017
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The 2017 Ron Rubin Pinot Gris is a delightful pale yellow-gold, with delicate floral, stone fruit, and peppermint aromas. This wine has a soft mouthfeel of minerality, but explodes with fleshy yet bright acidity and fresh fruit flavors of peach, apricot, and Asian Pear.
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2016-
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Forty years of pursuing a dream would deter most people, but not Ron Rubin. His dream of owning a winery began in college at UC-Davis when he was 22 years old. Although it took him to the age of 62 to achieve his dream, today The Rubin Family of Wines strikes the right balance of people, patience, location, sustainability, and quality to craft beautiful wines. It was the discovery of a hidden gem, a small 10 acres, which lead to the pursuit of Ron’s forty year old dream.
The Rubin Family of Wines protects their environment through sustainable practices. The Green Valley, where Rubin is located, of the Russian River Valley is an ideal location to grow grapes. It is the coolest and foggiest part of the RRV. Furthermore, the estate’s Goldrich soil is ideal for growing Pinot Noir, and other cool-climate grapes. Ron Rubin's holistic approach to winegrowing includes owl boxes for pest management, cover cops for nutrient rich soil, tilling weeds, drought tolerant insect friendly landscape, water use monitoring in soil with irrigation used in only extreme conditions, solar energy, etc.
Ron’s stewardship does not end in the vineyard and winery, he believes in giving back to the Sonoma County community through charities such as Food for Thought that supplies food and meals to those living with HIV/AIDS and other critical illnesses, School Garden Network that promotes healthy food choices and agricultural awareness in youth, and American Cancer Society’s Sebastopol Relay for Life, among others. Furthermore, the addition of the Ron Rubin Student Commons at Sonoma State University is designed to be an inspiring space for students and faculty as well as connect students from around the world studying to join the wine industry. In 2016, due to his innovative spirit, Ron Rubin was honored by North Bay Business Journal, when he received their 2016 Innovator of the Year Award.
Showing a unique rosy, purplish hue upon full ripeness, this “white” variety is actually born out of a mutation of Pinot Noir. The grape boasts two versions of its name, as well as two generally distinct styles. In Italy, Pinot Grigio achieves most success in the mountainous regions of Trentino and Alto Adige as well as in the neighboring Friuli—all in Italy’s northeast. France's Alsace and Oregon's Willamette Valley produce some of the world's most well-regarded Pinot Gris wine. California produces both styles with success.
Where Does Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio Come From?
Pinot Gris is originally from France, and it is technically not a variety but a clone of Pinot Noir. In Italy it’s called Pinot Grigio (Italian for gray), and it is widely planted in northern and NE Italy. Pinot Gris is also grown around the globe, most notably in Oregon, California, and New Zealand. No matter where it’s made or what it’s called, Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio produces many exciting styles.
Tasting Notes for Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigio is a dry, white wine naturally low in acidity. Pinot Grigio wines showcase signature flavors and aromas of stone fruit, citrus, honeysuckle, pear and almond. Alsatian styles are refreshing, expressive, aromatic (think rose and honey), smooth, full-bodied and richly textured and sometimes relatively higher in alcohol compared to their Italian counterpart. As Pinot Grigio in Italy, the style is often light and charming. The focus here is usually to produce a crisp, refreshing, lighter style of wine. While there are regional differences of Pinot Grigio, the typical profile includes lemon, lime and subtle minerality.
Pinot Grigio Food Pairings
The viscosity of a typical Alsatian Pinot Gris allows it to fit in harmoniously with the region's rich foods like pork, charcuterie and foie gras. Pinot Grigio, on the other hand, with its citrusy freshness, works well as an aperitif wine or with seafood and subtle chicken dishes.
Sommelier Secrets
Given the pinkish color of its berries and aromatic potential if cared for to fully ripen, the Pinot Grigio variety is actually one that is commonly used to make "orange wines." An orange wine is a white wine made in the red wine method, i.e. with fermentation on its skins. This process leads to a wine with more ephemeral aromas, complexity on the palate and a pleasant, light orange hue.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.