Winemaker's Notes
Very nice initial perfumes of hibiscus and rose (seems a common theme with our Pinot Noirs). There is also something that reminds me of freshly steamed red beets, with a hint of sandalwood on the mouth. There is good structure and verve. This was harvested before the epic Labor Day heat spell of 2022 (as were our Zinfandels) so they avoided going over the top regarding ripeness or dehydration. I’m actually astonished at how similar the 2022 and 2023 Russian River Valley Pinots are right now, considering the vastly different growing seasons represented. But then I remember that we harvested 2022 early, before the massive heat, so their growing seasons were more alike than one might otherwise think. I’d say 2023 has a little brighter acidity, an additional perfume compared with 2022 as slightly plusher being the main differences.
