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BACK
  • 2022

Pinot Noir

Río Este Estate

  • Russian River Valley

93 Pts., Gold Medal | International Women's Wine Competition

Rio Este Pinot Noir

Tasting Notes

Presenting an elegant nose of black cherry and cinnamon, the bouquet of this estate vineyard wine opens to hints of sandalwood. On the palate, it offers a layered intensity of cherry cola, sandalwood, and allspice, while maintaining a light structure with delicate floral notes. The finish is ethereal with bright acidity. Serve with a slight chill.

Vintage Notes

Our 2022 harvest began just a little earlier than the previous year, with the first fruit picked on August 15. Limited rainfall during the growing season produced slightly lighter crops but brought intense, concentrated flavor and color. The consistent weather during the summer months helped maintain fruit acidity, bringing brightness and balance to the fruit’s flavors. Harvest continued through the middle of October when we picked the last red grapes from our estate Wild Oak Vineyard.

Vineyard Notes

Sourced from our 77-acre estate vineyard Rio Este, where we have 26 acres of Pinot Noir planted that sits directly adjacent to the flowing Russian River. The vineyard is planted to a variety of clones,  and this vintage of Rio Este  Pinot Noir is made from Blocks 2 & 4. This includes clones Wädenswil, a distinctly fruitier Swiss clone of Pinot Noir that lends texture to the wine, and French clone 828, which is naturally darker and denser than traditional Pinot Noir while still offering the bright fruit and acidity attributes well known for the varietal.

Winemaker Notes

Picked in mid-August, the grapes for this artisan Pinot Noir were hand-sorted and de-stemmed, then put whole-berry into open top fermenters. The grapes were kept at low temperatures during their 5-day cold soak, at which point they were inoculated with a yeast strain well known to produce great Burgundian wines. During their 14-day fermentation, gentle punch-downs were performed to keep juice and skins in contact with each other, and once finished, the tank was drained, and only the free-run wine was racked into French oak barrels. Here, it underwent natural malo-lactic fermentation and then stayed in a vessel for the remainder of its elevage. Before bottling, lots were blended together to create a harmonious wine.

Rio Este Pinot Noir
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WINEMAKER

Katie Madigan

COLLECTION

Artisan Collection

GRAPE VARIETIES
100% Pinot Noir, 35% Clone Wädenswil + 65% Clone 828
ALCOHOL
14.1 %
CASES PRODUCED
446
AGING
15 Months
Bottling Date
February 2024
Barrel
French Oak, 5% New

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