Nose bright, brandied cherry, hibiscus, strawberry, red raspberry, floral, pretty. Bucket of berries, complex, wow! Flavors of red raspberries with pomegranate, a hint of citrus rind and cherry. Some spice with nicely integrated oak, smooth and juicy. Will cellar well and develop further. Created by our cellar staff and winemaker who laboriously put this blend together from countless blending trials. To honor the memory of our head cellar rat-Bob Thistle....

Our last vintage of this wine, it has been a pleasure to make it, such a different terroir and expression of Pinot Noir. I’ve always loved it and its history, being planted by David Bruce and Martin Ray. At an elevation of 2100 feet on Summit Road, it has all the attributes of a high elevation mountain wine not usually a home for Pinot Noir, but then again…..I’ve been thrilled to be able to work with this fruit. A medium to darker ruby, with a medium structured body showing a bit of the mountain tannin. Aromatics of sour cherry and chaparral in the high country on a warm day. Think manzanita flowers, dusty and rocky. The aromas fill the glass when first poured. The palate jumps with cherries, pomegranate and mountain oregano. A medium tannin component that compliments rather than interferes with the flavors. Makes me think of things Greek – lamb grilled over rosemary and dried mountain herbs. Oh boy, take me to one of the Greek Islands in the Aegean. Balanced, ageable, superb! Sorry to see it go. Enjoy!...

After the drought year of 2015, 2016 brought some welcome relief in the form of rain to the valley. The soils and the vines got a bit of a new life after several years of drought. I must say that although drought is not a good thing, the 2015 RRV Pinot was and is still a great wine and one of my all-time favorites. 2016 seems to be a bit lighter, polished, but still deeply flavored. Some describe the vintage as almost perfect, but I’ll leave that for you to decide. The vintage is what mother nature makes it. I just try to convey that expression to you without screwing it up as it were. Medium ruby extraction and medium-bodied. Nuanced raspberry and herbal aromatics with a touch of warm baking spices. A lovely bright palate entry, a mouthful of cherries, cola, green tea and juiciness that goes on and on. Light tannins. A sexy wine with plenty of charm, cherries wrapped with velvet in a strapless dress. Just hitting its stride, will drink great for another five years. Would pair nicely with gently spiced Asian foods, duck, spare ribs, etc. Enjoy this focused expression of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Our flagship that is true to form for years now, doesn’t get much better than this IMHO....

Beautiful aromatics rise on pouring into the glass. Very noticeable. Dark and bright ruby red color. Sandalwood, spice, creamy oak, and vetiver perfume, incense-like, dark plum and sage bouquet. Quite complex on the nose. Fun! Screaming flavors on the palate that reach way back into the mouth. Juicy mouthwatering, packed with intensity. Black raspberry, root beer, strong green and black tea flavors. Great grip and structure. Silky, long and satisfying, magical, secretive, wanting to show more. This wine I must say is GREAT! World-class Pinot in my humble opinion. Will cellar well for another 4-5 years at least, built to last. Sometimes you get lucky, and everything being in alignment produces a truly wonderful wine. Nothing more can be said. Smart buyers will stock up. As always, the pairing for this wine is duck, maybe with a huckleberry sauce. 36-year-old vines, clones of Pommard #5, Mount Eden #37. Old and venerable vines....

A dark ruby color. Definitely scents of black fruit, toasty oak, and candy cane undertones, (sweet peppermint), just a nuance. Complexity of perfume. A little tight aromatically but cellaring and or just warming in glass or decanting will coax more. Very structured with medium tannin and good acidity. Also built to last. The palate is black fruit, a little jammy with dark plum, black cherry and mulberry, some blood orange rind. Mouthfilling, more masculine than feminine. Lots of earthiness with some spice. A substantial and warm wine that expands as exposed to air. Both elegant and complex. Meaty, hearty, and reminiscent of a French Burgundy. A wine for a beef stew or a hearty roast. 46-year-old vines of Clone #5 Pommard and Martini Clone #58....

“The nose is herbaceous, with raspberry, red cherry and floral notes. The palate leads with earthy tones and bright raspberry crabapple. The most pronounced flavor is a tangy spiced cinnamon. This is a pinot noir that will pair well with a duck confit and lentil salad, or a duck breast in orange sauce. The label happens to make it also a perfect pairing for your Valentine. Enjoy this Pinot now through 2022.” – John Haggard, Wine Banter, Sonoma County Gazette...