Winemaker Notes
The 2014 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir features aromas of ripe black cherry, pomegranate, and raspberry, tied together with a dollop of spicy French oak. Flavors are bright on entry, and expand broadly in the mid-palate. A dark core of fruit and spice lingers in the finish, and the wine’s balance suggests pairing with white meats and seafood, but heartier dishes will also be finely complemented.
Label Art: Designer Jeffrey Caldewey captured William Knuttel’s kin-etic wine world with Etienne-Jules Marey’s 1890 “chrono-photograph,” in which multiple exposures are superimposed to show the complete motion of “le coup d’epee.” The image meta-phorically highlights the balance, finesse, power and poise valued by the wine-maker.
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.