Donum Ten Oaks Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2012
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Wine Enthusiast
From an estate-farmed property in the Russian River, this otherwise Carneros-based producer shows it can handle different conditions with aplomb, taking its foot off the pedal a touch in terms of power and concentration in this wine. Floral, soft and silky, it remains complex in red and black berry, with handfuls of truffled earth.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Donum lets the vineyards do the talking for them, and they have a low alcohol (13.4%) cuvee called the 2012 Pinot Noir Ten Oaks. Its dark ruby color is followed by notes of pomegranate, red currants, sweet cherries and incense. Medium-bodied, pure and elegant with a hint of wild strawberries, it is reminiscent of a premier cru Beaune. Drink it over the next 5-6 years.
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Connoisseurs' Guide
*One Star* Bright and alive with lots of vital, young, red cherry fruit played against modest oak and touches of dried brush in the nose, the Ten Oaks bottling is at once velvety and vital on the palate as well, and its wonderfully continuous flavors exhibit altogether striking precision and length. It is as well-balanced as any of the Donum efforts and ever so slightly lighter on its feet than most, and, while its combination of richness and real grace makes it a Pinot that is easily approached now, it is structured to keep and improve for several years.
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Donum is a leader in single-vineyard, single-appellation Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Northern California. Donum's terroir-driven wines reflect the energy and complexity of some of the most celebrated regions in Northern California, including Carneros, Russian River Valley, and Anderson Valley.
Donum's winemaking philosophy has never wavered: to make the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in California while also preserving natural resources. Donum is Latin for Gift, and the Donum team considers wine to be a gift of the land. Donum respects this gift by keeping its focus on healthy, living soils. Donum achieved the highest level of organic certification as one of the first wineries in Sonoma County to achieve Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC) status for all its Estate vineyards. Donum's farming and winemaking team are constantly innovating and testing new techniques and farming practices including soil enrichment, integrated pest management, and encouraging biodiversity around the vineyards. Donum is also certified organic from the California Certified Organic Farming Association (CCOF).
Founded in 2001, the Donum Estate is located in the acclaimed wine region of Carneros, nestled between Napa and Sonoma Counties. The Estate includes a winemaking facility, a contemporary hospitality experience, an organic farm and one of the largest accessible private sculpture collections in the world – The Donum Collection. With more than 50 monumental works of art – of which over a third are site-specific – the evolving Collection brings together a global community of artists and leading practitioners from 18 nations across 6 continents, including Ai Weiwei, Ghada Amer, Doug Aitken, Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, Keith Haring and Subodh Gupta.
At the intersection of fine wine, sustainable farming and world-class art, Donum connects a global community and creates holistic, sensory wine experiences that have made it an international destination. For more information and to inquire about a private tasting experience reservation, please visit www.thedonumestate.com. Follow @DonumEstate on Instagram and Facebook and join the conversation using #TheDonumEstate.
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.