2018 Pommard Clones ~ Pinot Noir ~ Russian River Valley ~ 750 ml
Tasting Notes
This lush, velvety Pinot starts with tangy red fruit aromas—cherry, fresh strawberry and pomegranate—with a solid band of earthiness, adding interest and depth. On the palate, the initial hit is fresh strawberry and cherry, which seamlessly transitions to darker fruit flavors like black raspberry and fresh plum. The Russian River Valley earthiness (think Leras Family Vineyards) adds to the wine’s overall complexity. Oak influences provide the perfect balance—supportive, not assertive. The dark, intense flavors, delivered by a velvety mouthfeel with plenty of acidity and a hint of fine grained tannins, linger on while you long for the next sip. The wine to select when you want something special to pair with rack of lamb, wild duck breast with a side of Cumberland sauce or steak tartare.
Production Notes
604 cases
Winemaker Notes
We’re still doing it! Not many California winemakers produce single-clone wines, and this one consistently shines as one of the best wines we produce. Our Pommard Clones, which was the first clone growing in the Russian River Valley, release comes from a variety of vineyards in the Russian River Valley, including Leras Family Vineyards off Woolsey Road, Bucher Vineyards on Westside Road and Peters Vineyard just outside of Sebastopol, and they are always special. Each has the great characteristics of the Pommard Clone; deep flavors with rich mouth feel, and vibrant flavors unique to each site. While at first blending them was an experiment, we were so pleased with the results that we hand select the best barrels each year from each lot and bottle them.
Cooperage Notes
11 months in Francois Fréres French Oak, 70% new, 30% 1-2 year old