[wine] Four Buck Pinot, Russian River

Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Jon BonnéChronicle Wine Editor Sunday, June 7, 2009 We live in the days of $4 Pinot Noir. Consider what that means. True, the Pinot in question may be a Trader Joe's rock-bottom special (Blue Fin, a Fred Franzia effort), but it's symptomatic of where Pinot's star turn has led. If even the once-rarefied Pinot can tumble down the value ladder, those who traffic in blue-chip Pinot need to be on their game - doubly so with a continued grim outlook for pricy wines. That means you, Russian River Valley. If there's an epicenter of Pinot fame in California, that particular slice of Sonoma still has traction. Yet our recent panel tasting of nearly 40 Russian River Valley Pinots, mostly from 2007 with a handful from 2006, provided fewer chances for optimism than I had expected. Certainly 2007 was a good year for vintners to show off, with a long, unhurried harvest, extended and essentially split in two by a September cool stretch, and lower yields that promised nuanced and intense fruit. Fruit we got. Most of the wines had no shortage of black fruit flavors, but many had little more going on upstairs. Plump was a word that came to describe many wines. Helping me survey the field were two San Francisco wine directors: Jeff Anderson of Gary Danko and Brian Gavin from Conduit. We were excited to get a snapshot of benchmark Pinot in a strong year. To their credit, the wines generally showed less oak than in the past few years, perhaps a sign that Pinot Noir's keepers are making good on their claims to retrench on new-barrel fever. Alcohol levels were mostly dialed down a bit, either a sign of the vintage or a calculated decision to choose grace over might. Still, these were largely expensive wines, and considering that, the adjectives circling around the table were a surprise - not just "plump," but "monochromatic." Too many times, we hunted in vain for the vibrant or vivacious. The overt fruitiness was fine, and fans of Russian River Pinot certainly want their wines packed with dark fruit flavors. But at the prices being asked - fewer than 1 in 6 wines was under $30 - there needs to be something more. A bit of curious earth and spice, at a bare minimum. And here's why: Even forgetting the rise of $4 Pinot, the grape's mainstreaming has allowed enough nuanced examples to hit shelves under $20 that an old-guard appellation like Russian River needs to work doubly hard. Especially when married to what seemed like a troubling lack of acidity in many wines, plump black fruit sounds more like a recipe for cocktail-party Zinfandel than age-worthy Pinot. Luckily, among our 10 recommended wines were a host of familiar names and sites - wineries like Dutton-Goldfield and the De Loach family's Hook & Ladder. They were joined by newer labels under the hands of known talents - wines like Sequana, made by James MacPhail, who shines under his own MacPhail label; or the single-vineyard Suacci Carciere, made by Ryan Zepaltas, who works with Adam Lee's Siduri as well as his own Zepaltas label. Though most wines from the trickier 2006 vintage filtered onto the market a while ago (and are, I suspect, lingering on shelves) we encountered a few late-releasing gems. One, from a pioneering Russian River name, was among the tasting's true standouts. Tom Dehlinger releases his estate wines later than most, and the newly available 2006 shows the potential of the area's style - strong, dark fruit, ample oak and yet a mineral verve on the palate that reminds you it's Pinot in your glass. Since Dehlinger first planted vines in 1975, there's a full-circle gratification to finding such energy and drive in such a well-established wine. That said, much of the excitement has moved on. A new model of Pinotphilia has been advanced by energetic but land-poor enthusiasts toiling in warehouses and begging for lots of fruit to create their vineyard-designate lineups. (Consider this the Williams Selyem legacy.) Increasingly, they are turning to the Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley, where the cutting edges lie. Russian River Pinots are neither cheap nor, with few exceptions, in short supply. So monochromatic won't do for a world that drinks in Technicolor. 2006 Dehlinger Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($48): Tom Dehlinger enjoyed the benefits of 2006's better yields, with a relatively early harvest (ending by Oct. 2) on his various estate parcels, the youngest of which was planted in 1989. It's quintessential Russian River - dark but nervy, with clay and musky black cherry on the nose. A powerful, distinct presence to it, with a palate lifted by bright mineral and grounded in broad tannic power. No nonsense here; this is serious, intense winemaking, as Dehlinger has long provided from his red soils outside Sebastopol. 2006 Donum Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($65): Made by owner Anne Moller-Racke (formerly of Buena Vista) and Kenneth Juhasz (who also makes Auteur) from a relatively early mid-September harvest off Donum's holdings in the Russian River area. Strong oak and loam notes intersect on the nose, with distinct sweet cherry and blackberry fruit at the core. An almost meaty tang arrives to lift the profile, but at the core is generous, sweet fruit and ripe tannins that give it guts. Bold stuff. 2007 Dutton Goldfield Dutton Ranch Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($38): This well-established label is in fine form with its benchmark blend of five parcels. A notable oak presence steps up, but the dense palate of plum skin, cherry and sassafras surges through. Intense and unabashed, all the more so given a modest 13.5 percent alcohol. 2007 George Wine Co. Leras Family Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($69): An ambitious and somewhat spendy project from winemaker George Levkoff, a onetime bond trader who caught the Pinot bug with help from Williams Selyem and Hirsch Vineyards. From a parcel owned by longtime grower Nick Leras, it's full of rich, dark berry and cocoa, with a bit of savory twang from soy and mint notes, and a structure built on fine, lingering tannins round it out. 2007 Hook & Ladder Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($25): Russian River pioneer Cecil De Loach seems to be carrying the torch for affordable, enjoyable Pinot. A classic approach, tense and tangy, with tamarind, cola and dry earth aromas atop ripe - but restrained - black cherry fruit. Gratifying, if more of a cocktail-party wine. 2007 Kenwood Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($18): Kenwood, owned by Korbel's Gary Heck, and its winemaker Pat Henderson pulled off impressive results for a 36,000-case wine. Roasted berry notes and fresh red cherry are underscored by an herbal hint. Tension and length from mildly gripping tannins. A very good value. 2007 River Road Vineyards Scarlett Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($30): Notably concentrated and rich, with a heavier hand on the oak. But deep black fruit gets counterpoint from a buoyant, tense structure, reining in the lavish style. 2007 Sapphire Hill Sapphire Hill Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($40): Tim Meinken makes the wines for this project, located on the site of the old Levi Grove ranch southwest of Windsor near Sonoma-Cutrer. Big, but subtle, with tangy orange peel highlights amid loamy earth and thyme aromas. Vivacious, if a bit tannic, with fruit notes hinged on wild strawberry and plum skin. Lots of momentum. 2007 Sequana Sundawg Ridge Vineyard Green Valley Pinot Noir ($50): An inaugural vintage from the new project created by Hess Collection President Tom Selfridge, with wines made by James MacPhail. This designate (from a vineyard apparently named to rile English teachers) is packed with opulent blackberry and dark fruit, matched by an equally hearty, dark nose - musk, damp earth and sachet. At 15.1 percent alcohol, it's a blockbuster, although with deep extraction and intrigue to pull it off. 2007 Suacci Carciere Suacci Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($48): The young Suacci vineyard southwest of Sebastopol is on a strong upswing, enjoying its second commercial release made by the talented Ryan Zepaltas from fruit picked in early October and aged in around 40 percent new oak. Deeply stylish, with notes of cola, bright berries, tamarind and fenugreek, and a sappy, weighty palate. Rose and cocoa on the finish provide even more depth. Alluring and powerful. E-mail Jon Bonnét jbonne(a)sfchronicle.com. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/07/FD8217USNV.DTL This article appeared on page E - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle -- ------------------------------ * Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *