Russian River Selection Pinot Noir 2020

Russian River Selection bottlings are quintessential Russian River Valley wines blended from some of the region’s top vineyards, taking advantage of varied climates and unique site characteristics. The Rochioli and Bacigalupi vineyards are located in the Middle Reach subdivision, where close proximity to the river awards foggy mornings, warm and sunny days, and cool nights – the perfect balance that characterizes the Russian River Valley. The Toboni and Nonella vineyards are located in the Santa Rosa Plain, a distinctly cooler and foggier sub-region, and the Hallberg and Dutton sites within the Green Valley sub-appellation exhibit even more extreme and cooler conditions. A beautiful expression of the varietal and of the appellation’s unique terroir, this Pinot Noir blend captures the richness, purity and elegance that are Gary Farrell Winery’s trademarks.

Grapes were harvested in the cool morning hours then brought to the winery. After a careful hand sorting, some of the grapes were gently de-stemmed, then transferred to small, open-top tanks while a small percentage of the fruit was added later as whole clusters. The juice for each tank was chilled to 45°F and allowed to cold soak for 4-7 days before fermentation was started. During fermentation, the cap was gently punched down 2-3 times per day. After fermentation, the new wine and its solids were allowed to sit in tank for 7-10 days of extended maceration, a period during which the tannins soften and the primary fermentation esters develop more complexity. The wine was then gently pressed off the skins and seeds, inoculated for malolactic fermentation and racked into 35% new French oak barrels (light toast François Frères, Ana Selection, Remond and Tonnellerie O) for 10 months of barrel aging on primary lees.

The growing season began with one of the driest winters in memory, and certainly the driest February in recorded history. The dry weather continued through the spring months and even into summer, leaving the vines with very little soil moisture to maintain a healthy canopy. Water stress can actually create beautifully concentrated wines, and that’s precisely what we’re observing. Budbreak and flowering began a couple of weeks ahead of the previous season, indicating an early onset of harvest. The summer weather was relatively mild, with very few heat spikes, so the vines soaked up the sun, producing a beautifully balanced crop with small to moderately sized clusters. Moving into late summer, veraison was early, but the weather and the crop were looking pretty close to ideal.

A few truly amazing vineyards comprise this gorgeous blend, each contributing compelling and vibrant aromas of cherry compote, black tea, rose petal, cedar and star anise. Intensely packed with flavors of black raspberry, blackberry, wild strawberry, sweet pipe tobacco, wet tea leaves and a hint of coriander on the finish. Every swirl on the tongue leaves the lips smacking with snappy acidity and firm, beautifully velvety tannins, while the persistent finish leaves you longing for the next sip. – Theresa Heredia, Winemaker