Pinot Noir is primarily associated with the Burgundy region in France. The name is derived from the French word Pine (Pinot) describing the tight clusters shaped like a pine cone and Noir which describes the dark rich color of the grapes. Out of all the varietals, Pinot Noir is one of the finickiest. It is thin skinned making it, at times, tricky to farm and characteristically produces low yields. It grows best in cool coast climates with well drained soils as are found in the Russian River Valley.
The Middle Reach of the Russian River is where the river frequently swells and floods in the winter months. The Vineyards in this particular sub-appellation reap the benefits from the abundance of water during the early parts of the growing season. This coupled with the unique micro climate in the Russian River Valley, shortened days, cooler temperatures and prolonged growing season, allow the grapes additional time to develop the deep red berry profile, accents of spice, cherries, strawberries, raspberries and underlying scents of the earth that tell the true story of the Middle Reach. The fruit sourced for Middle Reach Vineyards, focuses in this small area and unique micro-climate in the Russian River Valley. The result in the bottle is our best effort to interpret these unique vineyards into a limited production, age-worthy wine that can be enjoyed now or in decades to come. The vintage shows no prejudice and pairs well with a variety of fish, duck, pork, veal, chicken, lamb and can be enjoyed in any season.
