94 Points: Jim Gordon Wine Enthusiast - November 2023

“Soft, broad and spicy, this full-bodied wine is luxurious in cinnamon, cloves, dark plums and mulled black cherries, while velvety tannins shape the texture nicely. It’s smooth enough to drink with or without food, but there is no hurry. Best from 2025–2032.”

90 Points: James Molesworth Wine Spectator - December 2023

“Ripe and polished, with superfriendly black cherry and boysenberry puree flavors laced with a light black licorice note. Stays open and curvy through the toasty finish. A crowd-pleaser. Drink now through 2027.”

The 2021 vintage delivered a moderate and consistent growing season for most of Sonoma County, leading to a smooth, easily manageable harvest. While the continuation of drought conditions led to slightly reduced yields, the overall quality and concentration of the grapes was exceptional. We hand-harvested the grapes exactly when we wanted to in the cool evening hours of September 14 and 17, 2021.

River Road Ranch is in the cool heart of the Russian River Valley, where dense fog shrouds the vineyard. It is located on Slusser Road off of River Road. The soil is rich, sandy clay loam, where the plants can sink their roots in and grow healthy, balanced vines. This vineyard has been part of our portfolio for many years but this year, 2021, it showed a unique and precious style that we wanted to showcase as part of our Vineyard Partner Series. We source fruit from three blocks planted to three separate clones: 667, 777, and 828.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 15.2%
• cases made:

  1,068 Cases

• bottling date: 07/26/2022
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 31% new, 51% once-used

• fermentation:

  Gently desteemed into open-top fermenters; three day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs

94 Points: Meridith May The Tasting Panel - May 2024

“Rose petals sprinkled with white pepper and high tones of cranberry-lime report a succulent, juicy mouthfeel. Even tones of black tea and cherry are enveloped within its elegant persona. Thale’s Vineyard surrounds the winery’s new home in the northern end of the Russian River Valley.”

92 Points: Jim Gordon Wine Enthusiast Advance Buying Guide - April 2024

“Good, concentrated cherry flavors and a mouthwatering texture align this medium-bodied wine for myriad food pair¬ings from mushrooms to salmon to roast chicken. Moderate tannins brace the red and black cherries, cranberries and cloves that open up as you sip."

The 2021 vintage delivered a moderate and consistent growing season for most of Sonoma County, leading to a smooth, easily manageable harvest. While the continuation of drought conditions led to slightly reduced yields, the overall quality and concentration of the grapes were exceptional. Thale’s Vineyard was harvested on three different days: September 3, 4, and 8 of 2021. Grapes from seven of the 11 blocks were used to create this complex and delicious blend.

Our Thale’s Vineyard is located in the northernmost part of the Russian River Valley in an area known as the Middle Reach. Named after Steve MacRostie’s wife, Thale (pronounced Thay-lee), this has been MacRostie’s estate vineyard since 2013. The 14-acre property is planted as 11 different blocks. Each block varies in clone, aspect, soil type and year planted, offering great complexity and blending opportunities from the site.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 14.40%
• cases made:

  906 Cases

• bottling date: 08/17/2022
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 48% new, 15% one-year-old

• fermentation:

  Gently desteemed into open-top fermenters; three day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs

93 Points: Virginie Boone Wine Enthusiast - November 2019

“Reductive and luxurious, this wine has plenty of layered texture and grip that gives it a powerful edge. Earthy mushroom, meat and spice accent bold jammy flavors of wild strawberry dipped in mint and tea. The voluptuous lushness is appealing."

The 2017 vintage followed a cool, very wet winter. The soils were moist and rich, which at many of our vineyard sites would require extra meticulous care with cover crop management and canopy management. However, with Wildcat Mountain having such stressed conditions and unfertile volcanic soil this did not impact the site. There was a heat spike at the end of August, which led to us picking this vineyard in mid-September. The grapes for our Wildcat Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir came from two different blocks of Wildcat Mountain, Arrow Block, and Saddle Block. Both are planted to Clone 667 but were planted in different years, 2002 and 1998 respectively. All of these grapes were hand harvested in the cool early morning on September 13th, 2017,

The grapes for this Pinot Noir came exclusively from our Wildcat Mountain Vineyard, owned by Steve MacRostie and his partners Nancy and Tony Lilly. There, the vines dig into the sparse volcanic soil and stand firm against the strong winds that race in off of the Pacific Ocean most afternoons. This fog-shrouded mountaintop vineyard is a classic Sonoma Coast site—cool and challenging—and produces wines of great distinction.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 14.1%
• cases made:

  691 Cases

• bottling date: 08/14/2018
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 42% new oak and 7% one-year-old

• fermentation:

  Gently desteemed into open-top fermenters; three day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs

92 Points: Jim Gordon Wine Enthusiast - June/July 2023

“Sweet-smelling strawberries and red cherries lead to warm plum and black-cherry flavors in this inviting, full-bodied wine. A rich mouthfeel and silky tannins lend an appetizing texture.”

92 Points: Rich Cook Wine Review Online - June 2023

“I always like this bottling for its dusty dry earth minerality that deepens the cherry and rhubarb fruit profile. Those aromas carry through on the palate, with the dusty character in front. Moderate grip and zippy acidity give a big finish push. Age this up to five years or decant long if enjoying in the near term.”

90 Points: Audrey Frick JebDunnuck.com - July 2023

“The 2021 Pinot Noir Wildcat Mountain takes on a more floral profile, with aromas of fresh roses, cinnamon, and red raspberry. This medium-bodied Pinot is attractive and approachable, with fine tannins and fresh fruit, with wild strawberry, fresh herbes de Provence, and tea leaf. It’s a charming wine to drink over the next few years.”

The 2021 vintage delivered a moderate and consistent growing season for most of Sonoma County, leading to a smooth, easily manageable harvest. While the continuation of drought conditions led to slightly reduced yields, the overall quality and concentration of the grapes was exceptional. The grapes for this wine came from two prized blocks: Arrow Block and Saddle Block. Both were planted to Clone 667, in 2000 and 1998 respectively. The Saddle Block was harvested on September 14 and Arrow Block was picked on September 17, 2021.

The grapes for this Pinot Noir came exclusively from our Wildcat Mountain Vineyard, owned by Steve MacRostie and his partners Nancy and Tony Lilly. On Wildcat Mountain, the vines dig into the sparse volcanic soil and stand firm against the strong winds that race in off of the Pacific Ocean most afternoons. This fog-shrouded mountaintop vineyard is a classic Sonoma Coast site—cool and challenging—and produces wines of great distinction.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 14.5%
• bottling date: 08/10/2022
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 33% new oak and 33% one-year-old

• fermentation:

  Gently desteemed into open-top fermenters; three day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs

94 Points: Meridith May The Tasting Panel - December 2023

“Striking notes of sea-salted rose petals in aspic. Spiced mulberry has a fragrant holiday charm, with cherrywood gently tripping on the tongue. The vineyard, 1200 feet in elevation, is centered above the Pacific coastline.”

91 Points: Jim Gordon Wine Enthusiast Advance Buying Guide - April 2024

“This sturdy, straight¬forward wine gets the job done with good red and black cherry flavors, a tangy texture and moderate tannins for pairing with richer dishes. Its pleasures are subtle and its balance is perfect.”

The 2021 vintage delivered a moderate and consistent growing season for most of Sonoma County, leading to a smooth, easily manageable harvest. While the continuation of drought conditions led to slightly reduced yields, the overall quality and concentration of the grapes were exceptional. The grapes from Walala were harvested by hand in the cool evening hours of September 8th, 2021.

Walala Vineyard is located in the far northwestern reaches of Sonoma County in the new West Sonoma Coast AVA. It is a majestic site located at the rugged coastline of the Pacific Ocean, near the town of Annapolis where cool maritime breezes provide optimal growing conditions for Pinot Noir. At 1200 feet of elevation, it is positioned above the fog line with bountiful sunshine to ripen the grapes even given the extremely cool temperatures. We selected grapes from two different blocks of Walala planted to two different clones: 115 and 828. The soils are rocky and well-drained, which accentuates the intensity and rustic nature of the aromas and flavors.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 14.40%
• cases made:

  429 Cases

• bottling date: 07/28/2022
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 35% new, 35% one-year-old

• fermentation:

  Gently destemmed into open-top fermenters; three-day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs

92 Points: Virginie Boone Wine Enthusiast - 12/31/18

"Juicy, with a medium-built backbone of intense fresh acidity, this wine is savory in spirit and style, with large helpings of black tea, cardamom and forest pine. The fruit component is defined in cherry, cola and vanilla."

The 2016 vintage started out with an early bud break followed by a warm growing season. Just when we were about to start picking, we had a cool spell in late August. This helped slow things down and spread out the harvest. With no threat of rain in sight, we hand harvested the grapes exactly when we wanted to in the cool evening hours of September 17, 2016.

The grapes for this Pinot Noir came exclusively from Manzana Vineyard, which is farmed by the renowned Dutton Family. The Duttons have been growing grapes in Sonoma County — specifically the Russian River Valley — for generations. Because they are known for their meticulous farming and consistent quality vintage after vintage, their fruit is highly prized. Manzana is located in Green Valley, a sub-appellation of the Russian River Valley known for its cool temperatures. For Pinot Noir, this unique climate results in deeper colors and intense aromatics. The best barrels from Manzana Vineyard were used to make this wine, with each specifically selected for its unique and ideal traits.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 14.40%
• cases made:

  19 Barrels
  464 Cases

• bottling date: 08/01/2017
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 32% new

• fermentation:

  Gently desteemed into open-top fermenters; three day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs

The 2022 vintage was impacted by a third consecutive year of drought that resulted in a reduction in yields from 10 to 30%. The growing season was temperate, which in grape growing means we were on track, or ahead of normal growth. Then we saw some heat spikes that prompted our first picks. 2022 was a year for vintage-to-vintage variation and differentiation between vineyards. The block we source fruit from is block 2.11 and features Clone 667, which was harvested on September 20th, 2022.

To make this wine, our love of exploration took us to another acclaimed coastal Northern California wine region, Mendocino County’s renowned Anderson Valley. Located just 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean, in the cool “Deep End” of the Anderson Valley, Day Ranch is planted on an alluvial terrace that abuts a mountainside. This wild, rustic terroir yields a complex and distinctive expression of Pinot Noir.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 12%
• cases made:

  396 Cases

• bottling date: 08/09/2023
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 25% new and 38% once filled

• fermentation:

  Gently destemmed into open-top fermenters; three-day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs

The 2022 vintage was impacted by a third consecutive year of drought that resulted in a reduction in yields from 10-30%. The growing season was temperate, which in grape growing means we were on track, or ahead of normal growth. Then we saw some heat spikes that prompted our first picks. The grapes from Klopp Ranch were harvested by hand in the cool evening hours of August 25, 2022.

The father-daughter team of Ted and Lauren Klopp have been farming in the Russian River Valley for over two decades. Their home ranch is on Laguna Road, where the vines are tucked away in the nook of a foggy valley. We selected grapes from three different blocks on their ranch planted to three different clones: 115, 777, and Swan. The ground here is fertile Goldridge soils, where the vines produce small, intensely flavorful clusters of grapes.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 13.9%
• cases made:

  336

• bottling date: 07/31/2023
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 35% new, 42% one-year-old

• fermentation:

  Gently desteemed into open-top fermenters; three day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs