This has become a Briscoe staple. And, unfortunately, sometimes staples go overlooked. This shouldn’t be the case: if there’s something that’s taken up permanent residence in the cellar (or closet as it were at the moment, thank you COVID for taking away my construction workers…), then it’s certainly something worth talking about. So cheers to an everday wine I could probably drink, well, everyday.

Yes, that IS another pizza in the background. What can I say? I like making my own pizza. Also, I’m working on an experiment with all the leftover dough…

About the Wine: Sojourn Cellars 2017 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

14.2% ABV

• 100% de-stemmed Pinot noir • Open-top fermentation • Native yeast • 50% new French oak • Bottled unfined and unfiltered

I have to add a note that the tasting room for Sojourn Cellars is right down the street from me, and I’ve never made an appointment. I’ve always wanted to because I’ve tasted some of their single-vineyard Pinot Noirs out at restaurants and I’d love to taste through them all. There just always seemed to be time to do it. Oh, pre-COVID regrets and post-COVID goals…

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5, William Shakespeare

 

Flavor Profile:

Appearance: pale ruby

Aroma: Pronounced, youthful aromas of wild strawberry, rhubarb, red cherry, red plum, rose petal, ocean sea breeze minerality, toasty oak, vanilla, baking spices (nutmeg), and just a touch of fruit leather.

Palate: The palate is dry, with high (+) acid, medium (-) tannin, medium body, and high alcohol. The flavor intensity is pronounced with the flavor profile matching that of the aromatic profile, but specifying that fruit leather as dried strawberry, adding additional toast and smoke with almost a tobacco-like quality, and showcasing further baking spices in addition to that nutmeg.

The finish is medium (+) in length.

Conclusion: Based on the WSET criteria, I conclude that this wine is very good and has the potential to age further, if just minimally between 3 to 5 years.

Food Pairing: Pizza 🙂

More Info: I purchased the Sojourn Cellars 2017 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir at a local grocery store. I believe it was at Whole Foods. Retail: $42. For more information about Sojourn Cellars, please visit the Sojourn Cellars website.

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**Please note: all reviews and opinions are my own and are not associated with any of my places of business. I will always state when a wine has been sent as a sample for review. Sending samples for review on my personal website in no way guarantees coverage in any other media outlet I may be currently associated with.**

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