Joseph Jewell Wines
2011 Floodgate Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir •Floodgate Vineyard
California: Sonoma County: Russian River Valley
Mission Briefing
Flood of Flavor
Today’s Joseph Jewell Wines 2011 Floodgate Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir* hails from one of the most well-known and most successful of Pinot Noir vineyards in the Russian River Valley. The Floodgate Vineyard has enjoyed a long and prestigious history, with Gary Farrell, Alysian, Cartograph Wines and others sourcing Pinot Noir there. Today’s wine was made from select blocks of hillside vines where exposure to sun and the elements is optimal.
Joseph Jewell chooses the long and careful pathway from vineyard to your table. This elegant wine gets its fine ruby color from an extended 5 day cold soak. The ruby juice then moves on to rest in the finest French oak barrels - until the wine is ready to go to bottle. From there, it rests until it is ready to release to you. This wine is classic Russian River, with lovely fruit that is balanced against elegant elements of spice and earthiness. Fruits really come alive as you spin the wine in your glass. Please decant or swirl this wonderful wine for best results.
Please enjoy our boldest recommendation for today’s delicious wine.
Tasting Profile
| Look: | Lovely dark plum with bright ruby edges. At the core, the wine shows as very slightly opaque. |
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| Smell: | Dark cherry and black raspberry fruit meld with pomegranate, wild strawberry and baked cranberry. Underneath, the wine shows richer aromas of dark baking spices, cherry candy and subtle toasty vanilla. One of our more experienced panelists also detected a hint of coffee. |
| Taste: | Today’s wine leads with blackberry, dark plum, dried cranberry, and blood orange. These flavors are quickly trailed by sweet tobacco leaf, anise, vanilla bean, clove, cherry cola, and a little bit of a woodsy earthiness. There is a layered complexity to this wine that really captivated our tasting panel. |
| Finish: | Luxuriously smooth and silken, with tons of well integrated flavors. With its tremendous depth and balance, today’s wine will reward those who spend a little extra time with it. |
| Pairing: | Prosciutto-stuffed pork tenderloin, served with a wild mushroom sauce. |
What the Winery Says
- Winemakers
- Micah Joseph Wirth
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- Adrian Jewell Manspeaker
- Accolades
- 92 Points - Wine Enthusiast
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- 90 Points - PinotFile
- Appellation
- Russian River Valley
- Vineyard
- Floodgate Vineyard
- Clonal Selection
- Floodgate Vineyard Clones 777 & 667
- Aging
- 10 months
- Barrels
- 33% new French oak
- Production
- 195 Cases
- ABV
- 13.54%