Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2021 Pinot Noir Cahill Lane Vineyard is a nuanced, sensual wine. Bright red/purplish fruit, blood orange, spice, mint and hard candy infuse the 2021 with lovely depth. This mid-weight, pliant Pinot is a real charmer. Bright acids and sweet floral accents are wonderful complements to a core of Russian River fruit.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Pouring a rich magenta color, the 2021 Pinot Noir Cahill Lane Vineyard offers more clarity, with aromas of raspberry liqueur, toasted cedar, and spiced orange peel. Medium to full-bodied, it reveals fine tannins, a silky mouthfeel, and a fresh lift of acidity, with a lingering smoky perfume on the finish. This is an attractive and elegant wine from Walter Hansel.
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.