From an estate site alongside Westside Road, this impressive white shines in full-bodied nutty oak and a slight element of reduction that adds rather than detracts. Ecotic in salty tangerine, peach and stone, it lingers in lasting oak spice. – Virginie Boone
Dried strawberry and cherry aromas. Medium to light body, firm and silky tannins and a saline undertone. Drink now.
Tried & True Award
Tried & True Award
Compostable earth marks the entry of this clonal exploration - a robust, full-bodied and ripely warm wine. With mint, pine and black tea accents, it offers wild raspberry and rhubarb fruit, bringing a homemade pie to mind
Juicy cherry and cardamom flavors give this wine approachability as well as complexity, all within a smooth, fleshy texture. Full bodied and integrated, it’s spicy and deliciously aromatic, with fresh garden-like accents of rose and lavender.
Beautiful melony, fig and honeyed notes emerge from the 2013 Sauvignon Blanc Virginia’s Block, but virtually no oak. This wine was fermented with indigenous yeasts and bottled unfiltered. A top Sauvignon Blanc, it is medium-bodied, fresh and exuberant. Drink it over the next several years.
Our single vineyard River West Chardonnay gains its structure from its bright citrusy acidity, a defining characteristic that we temper with fermentation in French oak barrels, 100% malolactic fermentation, and sur lie aging with plenty of bâtonnage. For the 2013 vintage we found that once again the favored blocks still reigned supreme. These were blended to complement each other in the glass, lending citrus, tropical and floral tones to the nose along with the classic reen apple and pear.
The 2013 Chardonnay River West exhibits lemon custard-like notes, crisp acidity, some minerality, and a subtle background hint of oak (it was aged 10 months in 100% French barrels). There is a greenish hue to its gold color, always a positive sign. More Chablis-like than a typical full-throttle Sonoma Chardonnay, this medium-weight effort should drink well for several years.
The medium ruby-hued 2013 Pinot Noir Jane’s Vineyard is a selection of multiple clones, including all the Dijon clones as well as Wadenswil and Pommard. It is slightly fleshier than its two siblings, medium-bodied, and offers up plum, anise, black cherry and loamy soil notes. Consume it over the next 3-4 years.
2014 River West Chardonnay
2014 Jane's Vineyard Pinot Noir
2015 Virginia's Block Sauvignon Blanc
From a site on Westside Road, this vineyard-designate boasts a rich experience aromatically and flavor-wise, revealing graham cracker, peach, lime and green apple alongside salty acidity. The oak (34% of it new French) plays a pleasant, supportive role, adding a note of brioche.
Talk about a mouth-watering wine! Aromas of lemon zest and dry earth ride above subtle cherry, strawberry and spice. There’s acidity to beat the band, and it contributes a lively citrus note to complement the cherry and strawberry focus. The spice and earth remain present through a long complex finish.
Chardonnay lovers will likely swoon over the price nearly as much as they do the wine. Davis Bynum’s 2013 Chardonnay comes in under $30 a bottle and delivers tremendous bang for the buck with a vintage that is both rich and elegant, showing a beautiful layer of lemon crème with mouth-watering acidity and a touch of woodsmoke.
The 2013 Chardonnay River West Vineyard exhibits loads of minerality, a wet stone-like component, honeyed lemon blossom, white peach and assorted citrus. It is medium-bodied, refreshing and seems to me a quintessential Russian River Chardonnay. Drink it over the next 5-7 years.
This wine opens with the fresh liveliness of stemmy earth and black tea notes, growing funkier and more herbal on the midpalate. Brightly layered and deeply flavored, it’s a full-bodied rendition that remains true to its variety.
Winemaker Greg Morthole and David Ramey showcase this vineyard site well, a special spot in the heart of the appellation. Rich and spicy, the wine features tastes of black tea, deep dark fruit and zesty minerality, all layered by toasty oak. Full bodied and luxurious, it finds its way to a bright, fresh finish.
