Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
A sip is all it takes to fall in love with this potent Pinot Noir. Big tannins and crisp acidity make it hard to appreciate now, but there's a gigantic core of cherries and raspberries, with a firm minerality from the soil. Will develop bottle complexity over the years. Don't even think of popping the cork before 2015.
Cellar Selection -
Wine Spectator
This charming effort is plump and generous, with polished, lingering supple black cherry and blueberry fruit. Drink now through 2020. 487 cases made.
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.