Winemaker Notes
This alluring wine opens with notes of sarsaparilla, Bing cherries, and ripe wild strawberries. Do not let the Russian River Valley Pinot Noir’s seductive introduction fool you, it is a complex wine. Layered notes of anise and dried sage encourage the drinker to explore the depth of flavors in the glass. The palate beautifully combines citrus and tea notes with velvety tannins and a lengthy finish.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
This classic and pleasurable wine from a balanced vintage shows pretty, subtle floral aromas. Sweet and tart red fruit flavors like strawberries and cranberries with notes of sassafras, bergamot and herb tea. Bright and textural on the palate, with fine-grained and lightly chewy tannins. Medium-bodied.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2023 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley boasts a youthful ruby red hue and has a darker profile shining through with wet stones, cherry liqueur, black raspberry, pine needles, and fresh wildflowers. The palate is medium to full-bodied and has mouthwatering, fresh acidity, refined, ripe tannins, and a long finish. In the cellar, all the Pinot Noirs saw 25% whole clusters across the range.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2023 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley was blended from several vineyards and matured for 11 months in 41% new French oak. It has layered scents of strawberry, raspberry, woodsmoke, dried flowers, bitters and citrus. The medium-bodied palate offers concentrated, nuanced flavors framed by fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity, and it has a long, spicy finish.
-
Wine Spectator
Combines the punchy cherry and pomegranate fruit of the Russian River Valley with the clarity, breeziness and focus of this stellar vintage. Hibiscus and blood orange zest notes add length to the charming, streamlined finish. Drink now through 2030. 3,755 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.