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Russian River Valley

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.

2016 Cirq Treehouse Vineyard Pinot Noir

JD  97+    
VN  93   
WA  92   
WS  92   

2016 Cirq Treehouse Vineyard Pinot Noir

JD  97+    
VN  93   
WA  92   
WS  92   

1976 Dehlinger Cabernet Sauvignon

Light capsule condition issue; light signs of past seepage; top shoulder fill; label condition issue; light writing on label

1978 Dehlinger Cabernet Sauvignon

Light capsule condition issue; top shoulder fill; light label condition issue

2017 Patz & Hall Little Boot Pinot Noir

Light capsule condition issue; lightly depressed cork; signs of past seepage; 5 cm ullage

WE  95   
WA  90   

2004 Favia La Josefina Pinot Noir

Light capsule condition issue; light label condition issue

2004 Favia La Josefina Pinot Noir

Light label condition issue

2005 Favia La Josefina Pinot Noir

Light label condition issue

2015 Arista Winery Banfield Vineyard Chardonnay

Light capsule condition issue; lightly depressed cork; signs of past seepage; 3 cm ullage; light label condition issue

WS  93   

2010 Merry Edwards Olivet Lane Chardonnay

WS  90   

2010 Merry Edwards Olivet Lane Pinot Noir

WS  90   

2021 Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc

WE  91   

2016 Failla Keefer Ranch Chardonnay

JD  95   
WS  93   
VN  93   

2014 Bacio Divino Lucie Bacigalupi Vineyard Pinot Noir

Light label condition issue

WE  92   
WS  91   

2013 Chateau Boswell Dutton Ranch / Sebastopol Vineyard Chardonnay

Heavy label condition issue

VN  93   

2013 Chateau Boswell Dutton Ranch / Sebastopol Vineyard Chardonnay

Signs of past seepage; heavy label condition issue

VN  93   

2013 Walter Hansel Family Vineyard The North Slope Vineyard Pinot Noir

Light label condition issue

RP  95   
VN  94   

2013 Walter Hansel Family Vineyard The North Slope Vineyard Pinot Noir

3-bottle Lot

Lightly depressed cork

RP  95   
VN  94   

2016 WALT Bob's Ranch Pinot Noir

WA  93   

2019 Three Sticks Alana Vineyard Chardonnay

2018 Three Sticks Pinot Noir

Lightly depressed cork

JD  92   
WS  91   
WA  90   

2019 Ladera Vineyards Pillow Road Chardonnay

Lightly depressed cork

2019 Ladera Vineyards Pillow Road Chardonnay

2018 Gary Farrell Hallberg Vineyard Pinot Noir

WE  94   
JS  92   

1995 Gary Farrell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Light writing on label