Though alluring and complex, the nose of this wine is a bit reserved, offering subdued layers of black cherry fruit, ripe Santa Rosa plum, toast and a touch of sandalwood. The first taste offers beautifully balanced cherry and blackberry jam notes. On the mid-palate the wine is rich and mouth filling with cherry and cola notes alongside earthy hints of mushroom and well-integrated tannins. The finish is long, balance, mouthwatering and bright, with more cherry flavors.

Vineyard Notes

The 2010 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is a blend of four different clones of Pinot Noir from four exceptional vineyards. Three of which: the Martinelli family’s Ceremonial Vineyard, Bernard Orsi’s Eastside Road and Mark West Station vineyards, are located in the heart of the Russian River Valley appellation.

The wine’s core of classic black cherry, wild strawberry and cola aromatics come from the clone 115 and 777 fruit we source from Ceremonial and Eastside Road, while the clone 114 grapes from Mark West Station add elegantly developed tannins. The fourth vineyard, Windsor Oaks, lies on the eastern edge of the valley, and is the warmest Pinot Noir site we work with. In 2010 our rows at Windsor Oaks were dedicated to clones 667 and 115. These clones add a candied cherry element, palate richness, depth of color and additional body to the wine.