Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California (2) Beyond Pinot Noir
The Russian River Valley’s fame is largely due to its excellence with Pinot Noir, but there is more to this region than just Pinot. Part of this is because when the boundaries of the AVA were drawn back in 1983, they weren’t perfectly drawn and encompassed a rather heterogeneous region climatically, with some diversity also found in soil types. There’s also the historical context: the Russian River Valley has some important old Zinfandel vineyards dating back to pre-prohibition times. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay remain its calling cards, but there are also excellent examples of other varieties being made.
‘The diversity of the Russian River valley’s wines reminds me of a Russian nesting doll,’ says Evan Goldstein MS, who is based in the Bay Area and knows the region well. ‘You discover something wonderful, say one of her amazingly complex Pinot Noirs, only to find that there is so much more to follow – a sublimely layered Chardonnay, a delightfully multifaceted Zinfandel, or a peppery cool climate Syrah.’ He’s right: when you start exploring you discover so many points of interest in this region.
These are notes from a tasting of non-Pinot Noir wines, and I also tasted quite a few other things which are covered in my notes on producer visits. Taking those wines into consideration, too, I’d say the strengths of the Russian River are primarily Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, but then also Syrah in more limited quantities. There aren’t many regions that can do great Pinot and Syrah. And let’s not forget sparkling, too.
THE WINES
Balletto Vineyards Pinot Gris 2023 Russian River Valley
13.6% alcohol. Clone 152 and 146, Goldridge soils, 6 months in used oak. This is lively and very bright with lovely pear and lemon fruit, with some mandarin brightness. There’s a touch of cherry, too. Very pure with good freshness and focus: a bright expression of Pinot Gris but with a touch of complexity to it, too. 92/100
Char Vale Vineyards Beau Sourire Pinot Gris 2023 Russian River Valley
13.4% alcohol. From the Green Valley neighbourhood. Juicy and vivid with crisp pear and citrus fruit, and some wet stone detail. Has a pear drop estery edge to the nose, with appealing crisp fruit. Juicy and appealing. 90/100
Naidu Wines Viognier Catie’s Corner 2022 Russian River Valley
13.6% alcohol. Distinctive style with bold, sweet pear and peach fruit. It’s richly fruited, but there are some fresh citrus notes, too. Has some fine herbal detail. Bold and full as you might expect from Viognier, but not overly typical in terms of aroma and flavour. But a satisfying rich dry white nonetheless. 90/100
Vaughn Duffy Wines Sauvignon Blanc Hopkins River Ranch 2023 Russian River Valley
13% alcohol. Grassy, aromatic and intense with some mint and tomato leaf as well as citrus fruit. The palate is really lively and fresh with distinct herbal notes as well as plump citrus and pear fruit. Juicy acidity on the finish. 91/100
Paradise Ridge Winery Sauvignon Blanc Grandview Vineyard 2022 Russian River Valley
13.4% alcohol. Supple and fruity with some weight to the pear and citrus fruit, showing very subtle green notes and finishing sweetly fruited and juicy, with nice tension between the acidity and sweetness. Appealing. 88/100
Merry Edwards Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Russian River Valley
14% alcohol. This is a very rich, almost over-the-top style with sweet peach and pear fruit as well as notes of toast, honey and fudge. It’s a big, rich wine and I’m not sure I’d have correctly identified this as Sauvignon if I tasted it blind. 89/100
Gary Farrell Chardonnay 2022 Russian River Valley
13.7% alcohol. This is quite bold and full with bright pear and peach fruit, with a touch of sour cherry and then some grapefruit, with a salty seaweed edge to the palate. Powerful fruit here with nice freshness and intensity. Has a juicy finish. Lovely balance of rich dense fruit and then lively acidity. 93/100
Papapietro Perry Peters Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 Russian River Valley
13.8% alcohol. This is lively and intense with keen lemony acidity, but also rich mealy, toasty notes with some baked bread. It has some creaminess and depth, and shows good oak integration. Impressive. 92/100
Naidu Wines Catie’s Corner Chardonnay 2022 Russian River Valley
13.9% alcohol. Bright, fruit driven and expressive with linear citrus fruit and some peachy, toasty richness at the edges. Lovely intensity to this wine which shows rich fruit but also some brightness on the finish. Classy. 93/100
Ramey Wine Cellars Westside Farms Chardonnay 2021 Russian River Valley
13.5% alcohol. This is raised in concrete. Juicy and lively with lovely acidity and texture. There’s a slight creaminess to the bold citrus and pear fruit, but also some saline, mineral notes and a zesty flourish on the finish. This is all about texture and harmony. 95/100
Morét-Brealynn Zinfandel 2022 Russian River Valley
14.4% alcohol. 75 year old vines. A vibrant colour, this is a vivid, fruit-driven Zinfandel with crunchy raspberries, some blackberry jam and nice juicy acidity. Has a slight saltiness to the palate, which is bold and fruit-forward with a fresh finish. 92/100
Vaughn Duffy Wines Zinfandel Bacigalupi Vineyards 2022 Russian River Valley
15.2% alcohol. This is richly fruited with sweet but balanced cherry and wild strawberry fruit. There’s a lot of richness here and certainly a bit of alcohol, but it all works together in a rich, seamless whole. Subtle dried herb notes add interest, as well as a bit of stewed fruit on the finish. 93/100
Hartford Hartford Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel 2022 Russian River Valley
15.4% alcohol. Centenarian head-trained Zinfandel. Despite the alcohol, this is fine, fresh and pure with a juicy edge to the sweet cherry and raspberry fruit, as well as fine spices, a touch of aniseed and some pepper. Rich with some fine tannins adding balance to the lush fruit. This is a beautiful example of Zinfandel. 94/100
DeLoach Vineyards Fanucchi–Wood Road Vineyard Zinfandel 2021 Olivet Bench, Russian River Valley
16.5% alcohol. Centenarian dry-farmed head-trained vines. Bold, rich and textured with a core of sweet cherry and berry fruit, as well as some aniseed, a hint of mint, and some noticeable alcohol. Has freshness, focus and plenty of complexity. Dry dusty tannins on the finish temper the sweetness of the alcohol. 93/100
Ancient Oak Cellars Pagnano Vineyard Zinfandel 2018 Russian River Valley
14.5% alcohol. This is vivid and intense with a savoury, spicy, woody edge to the bright cherry and plum fruit, with some blackberry and spice on the finish. Has some mint, too. Finishes a bit angular. 90/100
Ramey Wine Cellars Cold Creek Vineyard Syrah 2018 Russian River Valley
This is lovely: there’s a meaty, peppery richness to the sweet berry and cherry fruit with some charcoal and dried herbs. Ripe black fruits join in on the finish which shows nice grip and sternness. A nice combination of fruity and savoury notes with lovely mouthfeel. 94/100
EXPLORING THE RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY, SONOMA, CALIFORNIA