Davis Bynum was the first winery to produce a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Over the years they’ve established a long track record of well made, varietally correct Pinot Noir. A couple of years ago the winery was acquired by the owners of Rodney Strong, another terrific Sonoma County producer. Having had several vintages under their stewardship it’s good to see that the string of excellent Pinot continues unabated. Today I’ll take a look at their 2010.

The Davis Bynum 2010 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir was produced from fruit sourced from vineyards located in a small sub section of the Russian River Valley. This offering is 100% Pinot Noir. The fruit was hand harvested prior to cluster and berry sorting. Fermentation was cool and temperature controlled. Barrel aging occurred over 10 months in 100% French oak. 8,500 cases of this vintage were produced and it has a suggested retail price of $35.

Fresh wild strawberry aromas lead the nose which also shows off herbs and a dollop of earth. The palate tastes like a bowl of fresh red berries. Those fruit flavors are accompanied by loads of spices such as clove, white pepper and a hint of fennel. Sour red cherry, rhubarb and raspberry are all in evidence throughout the lengthy finish along with a hint of black tea. Firm acidity keeps things balanced and helps make The Davis Bynum 2010 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir a marvelous food lovers wine.

It’s nice to be able to count on certain things; the wines of Davis Bynum as well as their sister winery Rodney Strong are two things you can count on for consistent quality and value. My recommendation is to drink them up whenever you get the chance.

I was quite impressed with the 2009 vintage of Masút Pinot Noir. So when the 2010 came across my desk I was particularly excited to sample it and see if it compared favorably to that previous vintage. Masút Vineyards and Winery was founded by third generation vintners Ben and Jacob Fetzer. They’re a small family own and run winery specializing in Pinot Noir; a grape that has gained tremendous popularity in the United States over the last decade and is becoming a key varietal for Mendocino County. Today I’ll take a look at the 2010 release

The Masút 2010 Estate Pinot Noir was sourced from the winery’s 23 acre hillside parcel. This vineyard was planted in 1997. The property is split into numerous blocks; 13 different ones, hand picked over 12 days were utilized to create this Pinot Noir. After hand sorting and destemming the fruit was fermented over 16 days in stainless steel utilizing both native and select yeasts. Barrel aging occurred over 11 months in French oak; 50% of the barrels were new. 1,400 6 bottles cases of this release were produced and it has a suggested retail price of $40.

Wild strawberry, leather, mushroom and thyme aromas leap from the glass of this 2010 Pinot Noir. The palate is loaded with appealing and eager fresh, red fruit flavors; strawberry, cherry and raspberry are all here in abundance. Gingerbread spices kick in along with white pepper towards the back of the palate. The finish is impressively persistent and shows off rhubarb, sour cherry, black raspberry and a bit of green peppercorn. This wine is finely structured and has lively and vibrant acidity. It’s easy to enjoy on its own and will pair favorably with an incredibly wide array of foods

This Pinot has depth and layer upon layer of delicious flavors to spare. I recommend decanting this wine if you’re going to consume it over the next year or two. It’s ever so slightly tight and some air really allows it to open up and showcase all its charms. As great as the 2009 release was, this one is strikingly better. The bottom line for me: The Masút 2010 Estate Pinot Noir represents everything that great Pinot Noir from California should be. If you love Pinot Noir I can’t recommend this wine vociferously enough; grab it before it’s gone.

The Craggy Range 2010 Pinot Noir is a single vineyard effort. All of the fruit for this wine is from the Te Muna Road Vineyard which is located in the Martinborough region of New Zealand. The fruit for this wine (100% Pinot Noir) was hand harvested. It was fermented in open top stainless steel tanks and inoculated with native yeasts. Oak aging was accomplished over 9 months in small barrels; 31% of them were new. This wine is available in select countries around the world and it has a suggested retail price of $45.99.

This Pinot Noir is a tad reticent when you first open it. About 30 minutes of air in the decanter really does the trick allowing this wine to come into its own. Aromas of mushroom, cherry and strawberry are all present. The palate is intricately layered and loaded with oodles of appealing flavors; wild strawberry, bing and black cherry, cardamom and coriander are all present. Earth, sour cherry, rhubarb, white pepper and hints of cola are on display throughout the long and persistent finish.

New Zealand first made its mark by showing the world what it can do with Sauvignon Blanc. Of late we’ve also been lucky to be seeing more and more Pinot Noir’s from New Zealand on our shelves. This single vineyard selection from Craggy Range is an exceptionally nice example of the varietal. It’s delicious now with a touch of air and will improve in the bottle over the next 4-7 years. If you like Pinot’s that are pure and loaded with expressive character, the Te Muna Road is one you should aim to try.

Matrix Winery located on Westside Road in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma makes wine from a number of different varietals. Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah are each part of their portfolio. First and foremost however they’re a Pinot Noir House. They make a host of small lot, single vineyard efforts and Cuvee’s from fruit sourced at local vineyards within their own appellation. Today I’ll look at one of their reserve tier wines from the famed Bacigalupi Vineyard.

The Matrix Winery 2009 Bacigalupi Vineyard Reserve Pinot Noir is a single vineyard effort produced exclusively from fruit sourced at the namesake vineyard. Bacigalupi Vineyard was planted in 1995 and 2003 to the 667 and Wadensville Clones. After hand harvesting the grapes were fermented in small open top vessels utilizing native yeasts. This Pinot Noir spent 18 months aging in French oak. It was bottled unfined. A mere 124 cases of this offering were produced and it has a suggested retail price of $52.

Aromas of cherry and earth abound on the nose of this 2009 Pinot Noir. The palate is rich, deeply layered and loaded with complex flavors. Fresh cherry and raspberry pie characteristics dominate with hints of jammy fruit representing secondary flavors. Rhubarb, continued raspberry and spice in the form of black pepper, nutmeg and clove all emerge on the finish. This wine has excellent length, firm structure and racy acidity. While its tasty on it’s own I would recommend pairing this with roasted meats, mushroom based dishes or funky, full flavored cheeses. If you have the patience to cellar this Pinot it’ll age gracefully for the next 8 or so years. This is a wonderful example of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.

Inexpensive Pinot Noir that actually looks, smells and tastes like what the label says is an all too uncommon thing. Pinot is a tough grape to grow as legions of winemakers will attest. Its popularity as a varietal causes there to be way too many poor examples on store shelves. So I’m always looking for good Pinot and I’m particularly interested in examples that are appropriate for everyday drinking. Parducci Wine Cellars recently unveiled a smaller production Pinot. I’ll take a look at it today.

The Parducci 2009 Small Lot Blend Pinot Noir was produced using select, individually vinified lots of wine. This offering is 100% Pinot Noir. The fruit comes from both Mendocino where Parducci is based and the Sierra Foothills. All of the fruit utilized is sustainable as with all Parducci wines. Barrel aging took place over six months; 15% in new French oak and the balance in a combination of seasoned oak and Redwood tanks. 6,000 cases of this wine were produced and it has a suggested retail price of $12.

Earth, cherry, toast and rose petal aromas fill the deep nose of this 2009 Pinot Noir. The palate on this wine is gentle and layered with red fruits; cherry and strawberry are both of note. Chicory and spice emerge on the finish which has good length. This wine has soft, pliable tannins and firm acidity. This is a fine Pinot to sip on its own or better yet pair with a meal.

For $12 this is a tremendous value in Pinot Noir. It blows away most of the other examples in this price range. Most importantly it’s genuinely Pinot Noir. This would be an excellent wine to consider a case purchase of as a house wine. Parducci routinely turns out very good value wines that are emblematic of their Mendocino origins. This Pinot Noir is another in that line.

For years a lot of the Pinot Noir in California was grown in some questionable (for Pinot) locations. Over time vineyard managers and winemakers learned more about the unique spots that are best for this legendarily finicky grape. One appellation that was long ago indentified as a Pinot Noir haven is the Russian River Valley. Today I’ll look at a trio of new releases from Matrix Winery.

The Matrix Winery 2009 Buoncristiani Vineyard Pinot Noir was made using Russian River Valley Fruit. This is a single vineyard effort made entirely from Pinot Noir. The Buoncristiani Vineyard which was planted in 2002, and sits 150 feet above sea level, features clones 115 and 777. After hand harvesting the fruit was fermented utilizing native yeasts. Barrel aging took place over 19 months in French oak. 199 cases of this wine were produced and it has a suggested retail price of $36.

Aromas of cherry, spice, earth and mushroom are all present on the nose of this Pinot Noir. Fruitcake spices, strawberry, and plum flavors are all in evidence through the palate which has nice depth. Rhubarb and sour cherry highlight the finish which is long and warming. Red fruits star and are tinged by hints of black. This is a classic example of Russian River Pinot Noir. It’s delicious all by itself and will pair well with a wide variety of foods.

The Matrix Winery 2009 Bacigalupi Vineyard Pinot Noir was produced using Russian River Valley Fruit. This is a single vineyard effort with all of the fruit sourced at the namesake vineyard. This offering is 100% Pinot Noir. The Bacigalupi vineyard which was planted in 1995 and 2003 features 2 clones, 667 and Wadensville. After being hand picked the fruit was fermented utilizing native yeast. The wine was aged over a period of 18 months in French oak. 199 cases were produced and it has a suggested retail price of $38.

Bright red cherry aromas fill the nose of this 2009 Pinot Noir. Hints of cedar and herb are in evidence as well. Strawberry, cherry and earth are joined by vanilla bean throughout the flavorful palate. Black cherry and rhubarb are both on hand through the finish which has good length. This wine is balanced by fine acidity. It drinks particularly nicely on its own and will also complement food. However, it’s a particularly nice bottle to sit in the corner and contemplate life with. It’s a little tight out of the bottle showing its youth. If you’re drinking it now I recommend decanting it for 90 minutes or so.

The Matrix Winery 2009 Nunes Vineyard Pinot Noir was made using Russian River Fruit. This single vineyard effort is made up of 100% Pinot Noir. The Nunes Vineyard was planted in 2000; it featurtes clones 115 and 777. Barrel aging took place over 18 months in all French oak. 199 cases of this release were produced and it has a suggested retail price of $42.

Aromas of dry wild strawberry and hints of green herbs fill the nose of this Pinot Noir. Cherry dominates the palate with both black and red fruits checking in; red raspberry is of particular note. The finish on this wine is quite long and loaded with spices, black tea and sour black cherry flavors. It has finely ground tannins and firm acidity making this a surefire bet with a vast multitude of different food styles. This wine is tasty now but is sure to be even better in a year or so. If you’re drinking it over the next 12 months, decant if for at least an hour for best results.

This is a fine group of releases from Matrix Winery. In addition to showcasing the appropriate nature of Russian River Valley as a bastion for Pinot Noir they also highlight the specific vineyards beautifully and distinctly. These are well priced, small lot wines that will each age nicely. In fact this entire trio, particularly the Nunes will really benefit from some additional time in the bottle. If you’re a fan of new world Pinot Noir these efforts from Matrix are worth your time and money.

The Veramonte 2009 Ritual Pinot Noir was produced from fruit sourced exclusively in the Casablanca Valley of Chile. This offering is 100% Pinot Noir. After hand harvesting each batch of grapes went through double sorting. Fermentation was aided by wild yeasts. Barrel aging took place over a period of 12 months in all French oak; 40% of the barrels were new. This wine has a suggested retail price of $19.99.

When I first tasted the Ritual Pinot Noir with the previous vintage I was pretty knocked out with the quality and varietal character that wine offered for under $20. Since that time I’ve gone back to that release on a number of occasions and each time I’ve found the quality and value to be consistent. So when the time to taste the 2009 arrived I was both excited and a bit hesitant. My hesitation came from fear that it might not live up to what came before. Thankfully that fear was unfounded.

Aromas of fresh red fruit, strawberry and cherry in particular fill the nose of this 2009 Pinot Noir. A layer of herbs underscores this and provides a nice counterpoint. Red and black berry fruits are prominent through the palate which has good weight. Black and red cherry, raspberry, blueberry and wild strawberry are all in play here. A hint of jam emerges on the lengthy finish along with hints of toasty oak and copious spice notes. This is a full bodied Pinot Noir that will pair well with richly flavored foods.

This Pinot will drink well over next 3-4 years. For best results I suggest decanting it for about an hour. The folks at Veramonte continue to turn out well made, reasonably priced wines, keep their name on your radar for delicious value.