Raeburn is a name you’ll see on the shelves of your local grocer — but did you know that the name Raeburn comes from an Olde English word meaning “the river where one goes to drink?” And so I think it is fitting that this Pinot Noir represents the Russian River Valley in my Pinot Noir style spectrum. Characterized by its cool, maritime climate that’s funneled in through the Petaluma Gap from the Pacific Ocean, the Russian River is an idyllic place for picky Pinot. The AVA is also home to some unique soil types, including the Goldridge Soil (volcanic rich soil), Sebastapol Soil (clay rich soil), as well as alluvial soils along the benchland — meaning the Russian River, itself, can have an interesting range of Pinot Noirs.
Tag: wine tasting
Fort Ross Vineyard 2012 Pinot Noir
Lester and Linda Schwartz discovered their love of wine in their native homeland of Cape Town, South Africa. A lawyer and an artist, respectively, the couple found themselves living in California, and it wasn’t long before Lester got the itch to build himself a countryside home reminiscent of his roots. So they purchased a plot of naked land along the craggy cliffs of the Pacific Ocean in what would eventually become the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA. The couple custom-built their own home, featuring traditional South African architecture; just a few years later they planted their first grapevine rootstocks and saw near immediate success. Alongside legendary winemaker Jeff Pisoni, today Lester and Linda craft beautiful Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and — as a nod to their heritage — Pinotage. (Fun fact: Lester and Linda were the first private grape growers to import Pinotage vine cuttings.)
Left Coast Cellars Latitude 45° Estate Pinot Noir
We can’t talk about the Pinot Noir style spectrum without a trip to Oregon, where some of the most refined, Burgundian Pinot Noirs are created — most notably from the Willamette Valley. Coincidentally, this part of our country shares the same latitude as some of France’s most prestigious winemaking regions. And so it is that Left Coast Cellars has named their most notable Pinot Noir vineyard Lattitude 45°.
Desert Hills 2012 Syrah
The lone Rhone in the Canadian wine profile seems to be Syrah, and yet this is the first grape planted to the Desert Hills Estate Three Boys Vineyard along the Black Sage Bench. Here, due to glacial retreat, the land is made up of gravelly limestone soils — perfect for a grape that enjoys a bit of forced rigor, like Syrah. The Toor family purchased their Three Boys Vineyard back in 1988, planted their first grapes in 1994, and is today the 25-acre home vineyard site for Desert Hills. 
Desert Hills 2016 Gamay
Desert Hills Estate is a family owned and operated winery, brought to us by brothers Randy, Jessie, and Dave Toor. Farmers and grape-growers first, they have, as they say, learned the wine business literally “from the ground up.” Though the trio has been making wine for over 16 vintages now, they maintain their hands-on attention to detail in every step of the winemaking process: from Jessie as vineyard manager, to Randy as business lead, and Dave as product manager — and introducing Rajen Toor, Randy’s son and second generation to join the Desert Hills family team as lead cellar hand. So not only does this Okanagan winery have the unique touch of Canadian terroir, it has the unique touch of a boutique family affair.
