2016 Raen Fort Ross-Seaview Home Field Pinot Noir

Raen is a new boutique producer with a distinguished pedigree. It was founded in 2013 by brothers Carlo and Dante Mondavi, grandsons of Robert Mondavi – the man generally thought of as the father of modern, high-quality California winemaking. Their father is Tim Mondavi, who for much of his life ran the winemaking side of the Mondavi empire. Dante and Carlo followed the family winemaking tradition by studying winemaking in Europe and California before coming back to work at family enterprises, including Opus One and Continuum. At Raen they are focused on producing Pinot Noir from the western hills of the Sonoma Coast.

Sonoma County is not an AVA, but it is a commonly used informal designation for wines made outside of more specific AVAs within Sonoma, which is a large wine producing region just west of Napa Valley. Though Sonoma is often overshadowed by its glamorous neighbor Napa Valley, it has a long history of wine production. The area specialized in jug wine until the mid-20th century, when Sonoma producers took a cue from Napa and started improving quality. Unlike Napa, where Cabernet Sauvignon is king, Sonoma specialized in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, though excellent Cabs are produced too. There are at present 16 AVAs within Sonoma County, and, like much of the West Coast of the United States, new AVAs are created in Sonoma County with regularity. Some Sonoma appellations, such as the Russian River Valley, are renowned for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

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.