2018 Raen Royal St. Robert Cuvee 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 Coast AVA runs from San Pablo Bay in the south to Mendocino County in the north. It includes 7,000 vineyard acres and earned AVA status in 1987. Its proximity to the Pacific Ocean means it gets double the rainfall of nearby inland appellations and the ocean gives the appellation a relatively cool climate. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir can thrive in these conditions, and there are numerous producers making critically acclaimed Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

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.