2009 Patz & Hall Chenoweth Ranch Pinot Noir

Patz & Hall was founded in Napa Valley in 1988 when two couples, Donald and Heather Patz, and James Hall and Anne Moses, decided to make single vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Donald and James had worked together at Flora Springs Winery, and Anne was a winemaker at Far Niente. The winery sources its grapes from numerous small, family-owned vineyards in Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino and Monterey Counties. Patz & Hall makes Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in a Burgundian style, and their wines have been well reviewed by such wine writers as James Laube, who calls their Chardonnays “simply delicious; they are very rich and creamy, and all are worthy of outstanding ratings.”

Russian River Valley AVA is named for the river that meanders from Mendocino County in the north until it finally runs into the Pacific Ocean north of San Francisco. The AVA is cool thanks to its proximity to the northern California coast and the river, and grape growers must learn to deal with regular fog. Nevertheless in recent decades the AVA has become one of the best in the state, meaning that its wines often earn excellent reviews and have considerable cachet. The AVA status was awarded in 1983 and today the appellation has 15,000 vineyard acres. Chardonnay is the most widely planted grape though Pinot Noir has also been very successful in recent decades. Russian River Valley Pinot Noir are known for being rich, lush and filled with concentrated fruit and berry flavors. Russian River Pinot Noirs are today considered some of the best domestic Pinot Noirs.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.