Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
This has the depth and substance Pinot Noir can adttain the the Russian River Valley, along with the firm balance. The blend includes fruit from the Williams Selyem Estate Vineyard on Westside Road and longtime sources nearby - Allen, Bacigalupi, Bucher and Rochioli Riverblock. The cool year (with one searing heat spike in August) produced a relatively small crop with flavor intensity. The wine carries deep scents of roses, dark herbs and woodland mushrooms, a complex fragrance emanating from dark and supple fruit. The structural tension can carry the weight of the wine as it ages, and the smooth texture makes it a pleasure to drink now.
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Wine Spectator
Intense and well-focused on vivid wild berry and raspberry flavors, with a wild, racy edge that's expansive and gains depth and nuance. Best from 2013 through 2023.
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.