Just released: A Russian River Valley Pinot!

My Tasting Panel and I just opened the 2010 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Reserve and it has aged beautifully in the bottle. Time to release it!

The fruit for this enticing Pinot comes from the Cleary Vineyard in a cool little town called Freestone. The town’s name dates back to 1853 and refers to a public sandstone quarry. Only about 50 people live there and the town is only ½ mile from end to end. The vineyard benefits from cool nights and warm, breezy days, perfect for growing pinot.

The wine has a very unique character, thanks to five different clones that add a complex and unique Freestone personality to it. A complex array of rich fruit and sweet earth in the nose is followed by red and black juicy fruit and pie spice. The finish is silky and smooth with notes of strawberry. This well-balanced Pinot’s a beauty.

I usually try to let wine age a couple more months in the bottle before opening it, even after releasing it. But I can’t wait to pair this up with some wild game – roast duck or pheasant.  Or maybe a braised brisket. . .