Thomas George Estate Pinot Noir 2012
-
Enthusiast
Wine
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
Raw earth and black tea combine for a classic take on the variety, high-toned in wild strawberry and red cherry. Tightly wound, it opens in the glass, staying light but with texture and body, a floral wine with just enough weight.
Thomas George Estates Winery is an artisan Russian River Valley producer of small lot, vineyard designated wines with a focus on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These artisan wines are 100% estate grown, handmade in small lots in a style that emphasizes balance, brightness and terroir-inspired sophistication. The winery is located to the east of Thomas George Estates, providing a compelling and dynamic array of Estate fruit from which to its produce it small lot bottlings. The Estate was founded in 2008 by the Thomas Baker family who have dedicated themselves to establishing a world-class winery focused on site-specific Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays grown in the cool heart of the Russian River Valley. To realize this vision, the Baker family has assembled an estate program that includes four distinct and coveted vineyards—Baker Ridge, Starr Ridge, Cresta Ridge and Sons & Daughters Ranch.
Thomas George Estates includes four distinct and coveted vineyards—Baker Ridge, Starr Ridge, Cresta Ridge and Sons & Daughters Ranch. Offering a diversity of microclimates, soil types, exposures, vine age and clonal material, these exceptional vineyard sites provide Thomas George Estates with a complex palette of fruit from which to craft its limited- production wines.
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.