2014 River Road Ranch Pinot Noir
River Road Ranch encompasses 125 acres in the heart of the Russian River Valley appellation. Located on the western bench of the Santa Rosa Plain, the vineyard thrives in well-drained soils. The region’s fog-cooled nights are ideal for this varietal. We hand-harvested the Pinot Noir from distinct blocks, clones #115, #777, Pomard and UCD#37, a classic California selection. Each clone contributed distinctive flavors and textural characteristics. Vintage 2013 was as ideal as the preceding 2012 season. A moderate spring-summer-fall and a clockwork harvest gave us grapes with good structure and juicy, ripe flavors.
Cases produced: 1,408
Tasting Room Retail price: $42
Appellation: Russian River Valley
Winemaking
We made this Pinot Noir in small lots, using traditional techniques- fermenting in open-top tanks and hand-plunging the caps during primary fermentation. To accentuate the delightful fruit flavors, we added 20% whole clusters to fermenter. The wine aged twelve months in French oak barrels (40% new) from coopers Meyrieux Traditional House and Remond. We bottled this Pinot Noir without fining or filtering in February 2013.
Alcohol: 14.9 percent by volume
Total Acid: 5.50 g/L
pH: 3.74
Tasting Notes
This wine is a classic Russian River Valley Pinot. It presents aromas of dark cherry, exotic spice, green tea and a slight earthiness referred to as forest floor. It is silky on the palate, beautifully balanced and with a long finish. The firm structure suggests excellent aging potential. This wine will cellar for 7 – 10 years.
Other Vintages
We have a whole page of recipes that pair with Pinot Noir.
