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What We Say 2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
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Today’s Sonoma County Vintner’s selection is also an exceptional QPR (quality to price ration) value Recession Buster.
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Mission Codename: Let the good times roll
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Secure a delicious budget-minded Pinot Noir for our Operatives
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Pedroncelli Winery & Vineyards
Wine Subject: 2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Winemaker: John Pedroncelli
Backgrounder:
The Russian River Valley in Sonoma is particularly well suited to producing exceptional Pinot Noir. This AVA was officially designated in 1983, but many of the wines in the region used the designation as early as the 1970s (early in California’s wine history) with the many of the vines having been first planted in the early 1900s.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Light and clear, this wine is a lovely ruby red with rose reflections through its crystalline core. Along the edges the color lightens to a rub-pink color and when swirled, randomly spaced thin legs descend along the side of the glass.
Smell – Medium in intensity with notes of earthy cherry and toasted oak leading the way. Subtle mocha coffee and floral violets emerge as this wine opens and are intermingled with smoke and herbal hints.
Feel – This medium-bodied wine is smooth with silky tannins buttressed by lively acidity and a touch of minerality that lingers over the palate.
Taste – Focused fruit flavors of tangy cherry with hints of fleshy plum and fresh strawberry are integrated with earthy and herbal notes and some subtle exotic spice and pepper. Smokey and toasted oak round out the pleasant and approachable flavors of this wine.
Finish – Medium in length and clean in quality, this wine’s red fruit and smokey/toasty oak linger on the palate with a touch of earthiness.
Conclusion – The 2007 Pedroncelli Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is a delicious wine, especially for the low price. A great wine for just about any occasion (and at he price, can be an everyday wine, enjoyed it now or cellar for several years to come. We enjoyed this wine with simpled grilled chicken.
Mission Report:
WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER
SUBJECT: John Pedroncelli
DOB: 5/2/25
POB: Dunsmuir CA
Wine Education: SRJC and summer short courses at UC Davis
California wine job brief: Pedroncelli Winery from 1946-present; winemaker in 1949
Winemaking Philosophy: To produce the best wine possible to reflect the variety and appellation it is grown in.
Career highlight: Traveled/visited most of the winemaking countries of the world.
Quote: “World class wines are made in the vineyard.”
WINEMAKER INTERVIEW
AGENT RED: Greetings, Jim. We are thrilled to be showing your Three Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.
JOHN: My pleasure to work with you, once again, Agent Red. We enjoy our Wine Spies missions!
RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?
JOHN: Growing up in a winemaking family
RED: And where did you learn the most about winemaking?
JOHN: In the classroom, from peers, and from the ground up—beginning in the vineyard.
RED: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?
JOHN: To produce world-class consumer affordable wine to enjoy on a daily basis
RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?
JOHN: Giovanni Pedroncelli, my father
RED: How long have you been making wine?
JOHN: Since 1949
RED: Who do you make wine for?
JOHN: Knowledgeable wine drinkers
RED: Tell me, what makes the Dry Creek Valley, where Pedroncelli Winery sits, so special?
JOHN: Weather, soil and the individual grape growers
RED: What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone that is considering a career as a winemaker?
JOHN: Attend a good Agricultural college plus work experience in the vineyard and winery
RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?
JOHN: I consult with our winemaking team that includes our assistant winemaker, Montse Reece, cellarmaster Polo Cano, and vineyard manager Lance Blakeley.
RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?
JOHN: Vennison stew or for mainstream meals, I like New York Strip steak grilled
RED: Please share one thing about yourself that few people know
JOHN: Tennis was a passion of mine for many years.
RED: What is your favorite ‘everyday’ or table wine?
JOHN: Zinfandel
RED: How would you recommend that people approach your wines, or wine in general?
JOHN: With an open mind and a view that wine really has no boundaries – there are so many choices when it comes to wine – if you don’t try it, you’ll never gain experience.
RED: If you could choose any one wine to drink (regardless of price or availability), what would it be?
JOHN: I’d like to taste our first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon from 1966
RED: What is good piece of wisdom that you can share with us today?
JOHN: I have seen quite a bit of our little corner in Dry Creek Valley change, for the better. I’ve learned you need to ride the waves of the industry, the ups and downs, in order to succeed.
RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and about your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!
JOHN: Thanks, Red!
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the Pedroncelli Winery & Vineyards can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Pedroncelli Winery & Vineyards
About This Wine:
An elegant, medium bodied Pinot Noir. Aromas are highlighted by the essence of raspberries with clove and toasted oak accents. In the mouth this wine is soft and velvety with juicy cherry-berry flavors with just a bit of spiciness. The finish is nicely balanced with moderate tannin.
Vineyard Sources: This cooler climate for grape growing is influenced by the regular intrusion of cooling fog from the Pacific Ocean a few miles to the west. The natural air-conditioning allows the grapes to develop full flavor maturity over an extended growing season while retaining their all-important natural acidity. Pinot Noir grown in the nearly perfect conditions of the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County combined with an amazing complexity of soil types, results in wine that reflects the individual vineyards and highlights the common thread of a great growing area. John and Jim Pedroncelli have worked with the Frank Johnson Vineyard for over 20 years as a source for Pinot Noir. Thirty percent of the 2007 vintage is from their vineyards along with two other growers, all within a few miles of each other. This is a Pinot Noir that showcases the distinctive traits of the cooler climate area.
Winemaking: Harvest conditions were very good for the vintage. The fruit was picked from three vineyards over four weeks in September, destemmed and whole berry fermented. Fermentation took a little over three weeks in small stainless steel tanks. Pumpovers were performed three times per day for maximum color extraction. The round, full and polished texture of this wine comes not only from the high quality fruit but also judicious use of oak—the wine was aged for 12 months in small French oak barrels, with thirty percent new oak.
About The Winery:
Since 1927, when John Pedroncelli, Sr. purchased vineyard and a small winery in Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley, two elements remain unchanged: the exceptional place the Pedroncelli family farms vineyards, and the family’s dedication to making fine wines.
- From selling grapes to home winemakers during prohibition in order to keep the vineyards going,
- to growing a small base of business during the 1930s and 1940s,
- to the second generation joining their father: son John becoming winemaker in 1948 followed by Jim in 1955 as sales director,
- to 1963 when the winery was officially purchased by John and Jim from their father,
- to growing the line of wines in the 1960s with vineyard expansion and diversification,
- to the boom time of the 1970s and 1980s along with many changes and additions to our sales base including national sales and export,
- the third generation coming on board and vineyard replanting in the 1990s
- to the 21st century where the fourth generation is coming up the ranks…
- and it is still a family owned business.
It all adds up to tradition, heritage and a family of wines you can enjoy with confidence.
Technical Analysis:
Appellation: Russian River Valley
Barrel Aging: 12 months, French Oak barrels
Alcohol: 14.1%
pH: 3.73
Total acidity: .570g/100ml
Bottled: December 2008
