2013 Russian River Valley 5L

92 Points: VIRGINIE BOONE Wine Enthusiast

"Dried herb, forest, berry and black peppery cola combine on the nose and palate to delirious effect, making way for a velvety texture of medium-sized body and weight. Sourced from several vineyards, including some estate, this wine satisfies on every level."

The 2013 vintage had ideal temperatures and growing conditions. The flavors were able to develop and show expressively. The vineyards were farmed meticulously in order to keep the vigorous canopy that develops in the famed-Goldridge Soil- balanced with the crop load on the vines. When done correctly the pure fruit and clarity of Russian River Valley vineyards shines through, as displayed in this wine. The fruit was hand-harvested on four different days: August 27 at 26.2 Brix, August 30 at 25.3 Brix, September 3 at 25.9 Brix, and September 19 at 24.9 Brix. The four distinct harvest dates indicate the individual nature of each site and what each lends to the complexity of this wine.

This wine is inspired by our exploration into the more western reaches of the Sonoma coast appellation. It exemplifies the fruit-driven Pinot Noir and concentrated rich flavors that one sees in this region. We work with a number of different vineyards in the Russian RiverValley including our own. Thale’s Vineyard and a neighboring place on Westside Rd called FlaxVineyard. Also, included are Tina Marie and Dutton’s Widdoes Ranch, both in the heart of Green Valley.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 14.2%
• cases made:

  396

• bottling date: 08/08/2014
• aging:

  Aged 9 months in French oak, 25% new, 40% one-year-old

• fermentation:

  Gently destemmed into 1-ton Super T Fermenters; 2x day punch downs