Winemaker Notes
In small open-topped tanks, each block was fermented separately, using primarily native yeasts. Other lots were fermented with yeasts unique to each individual lot. Hand punch-downs extracted and elevated the Pinot Noir flavors and the wine was aged sur lie in French oak barrels for 11 months.
Inviting aromas of dark rose and lavender complement the wine's plush, round texture. Full flavors of warm spice, cranberry and cherry last through the long, fruit-filled finish.
About the Vineyard
The sustainably-farmed Dutton Family Ranch is located on gently sloping hillsides in the cool Green Valley of Russian River Valley. Three separate two-acre blocks are planted on well-drained Goldridge soils atop ancient sandstone marine terraces. The eight-year-old vines were planted with specifications on vine density, slope and direction, allowing exposure to both morning and afternoon sun. Four unique clones of Pinot Noir enhance the intrinsic complexity of this single-vineyard wine. The Dutton family has played a pivotal role in shaping the wine quality of the Russian River Valley.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
James MacPhail makes three vineyard-designated pinot noirs at Sequana, including this one from Dutton Ranch. It balances floral spice with the cool red apple-skin fruit flavor of Green Valley pinot. The lasting impression is clean, the clarity lent by earthy tannin. Substantial enough to serve with duck roasted with cherries.
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Wine Spectator
Firm, intense, concentrated and complex, with ripe plum and cherry fruit that's full-bodied, a bit raw and grainy but concentrated, ending with tight tannins. Drink now through 2015. 1,300 cases made.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Situated on the foggier and colder western edge of the Russian River Valley, almost abutting the Sonoma Coast appellation, Green Valley is one of California’s most reputable Chardonnay and Pinot noir producing regions. It is also a wonderful source of sparkling wines made from these varieties.
Goldridge soils abound throughout the Green Valley appellation. This fine, dark, sandy loam and fractured sandstone is derived from the remains of ancient inland seabeds dating back three to five million years. It is valuable for high quality grape growing because of its excellent drainage and low fertility.