Site Choice Decisions for Pinot Noir Vineyards

Pinot Noir is widely known as a finicky varietal that arguably grows beautifully in fewer places than any other. There are many reasons for that. Pinot is an early ripening red varietal that loses acidity and gains sugar quickly at the end of the season, so needs a cool ripening period. At the same time color can develop poorly, and the color compounds in Pinot are fundamentally different, and less stable, than in other varietals. This creates the requirement for good sunshine to stimulate phenolic development, as well as soil and weather conditions to stimulate the plant early in the season to ripening, rather than green growing, metabolism. Acidity also plays a role here, as lower acidity (higher pH) greatly increases the instability of the color and flavor compounds we like.

Pinot skins are thin, and being a dark they absorb heat strongly, so as they soften are very susceptible to raisining when hit by direct sunlight late in the season - the same sun exposure we want to help stimulate phenolic metabolism earlier. This is exacerbated by the tiny berries, and therefore high surface area to volume ratio, in the best fruit. Since Pinot ripens early, it can be quite vulnerable in the longer, potentially hotter days of early September than later ripening varieties. This then argues for colder, and often wetter, sites where an issue is very capricious spring weather and poor set conditions. This is why many of the best Pinot sites just won't ever produce crops even approaching what the best cab sites are capable of. The coolest spots can also be foggy for long periods, retarding phenolic development and promoting rot in some years. A great vintage for Pinot right by the coast might not be as great just a touch further inland, and visa versa (1995 was a great example of this, as was 2005).

The various needs of Pinot can be at odds with each other. The sunshine needed for the best phenolic ripening can come with heat that reduces acidity and makes sugar too quickly, and the fog that keeps things cool can slow the development of skins and seeds. The key is to find a spot that will most frequently provide fruit with ripe skins - meaning soft, dark, and chewy- and ripe seeds - hopefully brown and not bitter - while the acid is still high (but not too high, of course), and the sugar still moderate. As noted, the micro weather cycles have a huge effect on this hope, and of course vary from year to year. The soils, slope and aspect to the sun are clearly as major factors as well.

When we consider ripening red fruit versus white, the fundamental difference is that in whites we are only minimally concerned with the skins and seeds, since the juice is pressed off before fermentation. It's hard enough to think about the flavor of the juice along with its acidity and sugar level, but the added vector of skin and seed ripeness in reds geometrically complicates things. So in reds we are looking for sites that spur the vine into ripening those elements as quickly as they promote carbohydrate production and acid metabolism - not so simple. We love cold sites as they slow acid loss and sugar rise: In our neighborhood the coldest sites are low in the valleys, and many great chardonnay sites have that situation. But valley bottoms tend to have rich deep soil which promotes green growth and slows conversion from green growing to phenolic ripening metabolism in reds. The vine starts ripening seeds in response to a deficit of water, as this indicates to the plant that fall is nearing and it needs to reproduce. Pinot has a real tendency to grow rank green growth in heavier soils, and these vines rarely develop the thick tasty skins and spicy seeds that we love for great Pinot.

We look then for cool hillsides with thin, light, well drained soil for Pinot Noir, but with enough water holding capacity to minimize the need for too much long term irrigation. Our Goldridge soil in Green Valley is a great example of this, with its light sandy surface, and often just enough clay for good water retention a bit deeper. We often get very intense Pinot from steep hillsides with shallow Goldridge soil, as these dry out quickly and promote thick skins and intense color. On the ridge tops the soil is generally deeper than the hillsides below, but frequently sandier with low nutrient content.

The aspect of the vineyard is of course important for several reasons. We like east facing slopes in warmer areas because they face away from the hot afternoon sun during late season heat spells, but we like warmer aspects in the colder places nearer to the coast. The wind can be a huge factor in open valleys and near the coast, as is elevation (higher generally means warmer) and aspect to the sun.

The variables are of course, endless. We have some warm sites that actually throw very low crops and ripen slowly because the soil is weak, or some colder sites that ripen very quickly because the soil is so light and the crop so low. Sound complicated - well it is, except that there are a vast number of superb Pinot sites in the Russian River Valley. To the winegrower the issue is often one of character, not "quality"; and the satisfaction is that of matching farming and winemaking to the site, and choosing according to personal predilection.

One of the many pleasures of making wine and living in the Russian River Valley is the wonderful variation of climate and feel within very short distances. There are clear elements that hold all of the area together, but there are also distinct characters within our region. The following is a brief description of some of the areas that we as winemakers recognize within the Russian River Valley. Other than Green Valley, none are appellations in their own right, but each is geographically, and to a lesser extent agriculturally, distinguished from its neighbors. As winemakers we generalize about the flavor characteristics of these neighborhoods, but clearly there is much overlap.

1. The Middle Reach - the north-south stretch along the Russian River between Forestville and Healdsburg. The Middle Reach starts just upstream of a bend in the river, which goes around a ridge, called Guilder Ridge. The flow of fog is somewhat slowed here, and the area gets warmer as you head north. It is also warmer as you go up the hills on either side of the river, as it is a long way west to the coast at this point. Some of the best vineyards are in very gravelly soil right along the river, and give unctuous black cherry fruit and wonderful richness of tannins.

2. The Santa Rosa Plain - encompasses the gently rolling country of the eastern swath of the appellation. This area also gets warmer as you go north, while its southern end, though fairly inland, can be quite cool as the coastal fog which has been broken up by the hills to the west reforms over the plain. Great floral aromatics, and frequently excellent acidity in this area.

3. Laguna Ridge - the north-south row of hills on the western edge of the Santa Rosa Plain, to the west of the Laguna de Santa Rosa. This ridge has areas of red clay soils interspersed with extremely sandy areas. It is known for very silky tannin structure, berry fruit and elegant wines.

4. Green Valley - an official AVA in its own right since 1983, the Green Valley is delineated by Laguna Ridge on the east, Stoetz (or Occidental) Ridge to the west, the river to the north, and the Petaluma Wind Gap to the south. The bottom of the Green Valley is extremely cool as it is the first to see the fog and the last to lose it. Up the hills to the west, harvest comes quite a bit earlier as the fog burns sooner each day, and the soils are shallower. Lots of raspberry and blueberry fruit, and great acidity in Green Valley.

5. South Sebastopol - rolling hills, quite cool, Gold Ridge Soil, essentially a southern continuation of the Green Valley area of Russian River, and only recently included in the RRV appellation in 2005. Previously wines from this area would have been labeled "Sonoma Coast". Substantial tannins, great color and lots of blackberry in this neighborhood.

6. The sixth, and until now very sparsely planted area, is the western edge of the appellation, essentially from Freestone to Guerneville. This is a varied area of complex ridges, redwood groves and some river bottom. The salmon Creek drainage, around the town of Freestone, is just coming into its own - with the first vineyard planted in the neighborhood just in 1997. It is very cool, as it is just north of the wind gap and open to the ocean, but still low enough (about 400 to 800 ft.) to generally be in the marine layer. Lots of cranberry fruit and savory characters in this neighborhood.

The topic of site selection for Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley is a huge one, and for me the core of what we do. The great attraction is to truly get to know a piece of land and a neighborhood, and to do our best to bring that personality to you.

On the Road with John

The 2009 vintage single vineyard wines were released in September and have been tremendously received in the market. In my recent travels I have been able to start showing these wines and getting more familiar with them. The comments from the trade have been centered on the complexity of the 2009 vintage and their seamlessly integrated fruit, texture and structure. The balance and finesse of these wines are further evidence of Dan's constant efforts to retain the cool climate philosophy that Dutton Goldfield is known for with wines showing restraint and elegance.

The Fox Den Vineyard Pinot Noir has been a particular favorite. This is the inaugural vintage from this Green Valley vineyard that Dan and Steve planted in 2002. It is sure to be a key part of our single vineyard program for many years to come and is a beautiful addition to our single vineyard Pinot Noir portfolio.

All of these wines including the Devil's Gulch Vineyard, McDougall Vineyard and Freestone Hill Vineyard are produced in small quantities and with the recent press surrounding the 09 Pinot Noirs; they will not be around long. In fact, the McDougall Vineyard is already sold out at the winery after some of the recent rating. Ask your local representative about availability in your area or be sure to come and see us on your next visit to experience these wines yourself.

I hope to see you on my next trip to your town.

Harvest 2011

And here we thought 2010 was a quirky and challenging year... 2011 has proven to be just as unusual. In fact, the start of harvest was just a bit later than last year (we picked our first fruit in 2010 on September 15, then started in earnest September 27). We began the 2011 harvest on September 23, with our pinot from Marty's again starting the party. The weather continued warm after that, so the week of September 26 saw most of our pinot come in. The biggest harvest day of the year (and one of the biggest pinot days ever for DG) was September 28. At this point, only our pinot from chilly Marin County is still waiting to be harvested. The pinots look great, especially Freestone, and are mid-fermentation now. We'll be pressing them off and sending them to barrel over the next week.

Now that the weather has finally warmed back up and no rain is in the forecast, we're working our way through the whites and big reds. We expect to wrap up the chardonnays and Morelli Zin within the next week, and hope the Syrah isn't far behind. In spite of the hectic pace, everyone has handled the curves and craziness remarkably well, and kept their good humor about them. When Mother Nature is in charge, there's not much else you can do but roll with the punches.

In The News

We were thrilled to receive these nice reviews in the October Wine Enthusiast magazine.

2009 Fox Den Vineyard Pinot Noir
"Shows the elegantly crisp, almost austere structure of the winery's 2009s, courtesy of the cool vintage. Tight at first in acids and tannins, as it warms it gives off deep layers of sour cherries, cola, pomegranates and rhubarbs, all of them dry, earthy fruits that sing of the soil. Should develop bottle complexity through 2015…93 points."

2009 Devil's Gulch Vineyard Pinot Noir
"You can taste Marin's cool climate in the exotic, forest-scented pine needle, wild thyme and bitter cherry flavors of this elegant, complex young Pinot. It's completely dry and savory in acidity. An elusive, subtle, captivating wine that should do interesting things over the next six years. Cellar Selection…93 points."

2009 Freestone Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir
"Mouthwatering acidity and berry freshness mark this muscular young Pinot Noir. It's gritty in tannins and brilliant in acids, with subtle flavors of sour red cherries, persimmons and cola, as well as a mushroomy earthiness to which oak adds exotic sandalwood notes. Very dry and fine, complex and provocative, a wine to let warm in the glass as it changes by the minute…95 points."

2009 McDougall Vineyard Pinot Noir
"Somewhere between the acidity and dryness, this Pinot has a terrifically interesting core. It's a subtle wine, now suggesting cherry fruit, now retreating in favor of earthier mushrooms, minerals and pine needles, framed in firm tannins. Strikes out new territory for cool-climate Pinot Noir, less ripe, lower in alcohol and more exciting. Editors' Choice…94 points."

2009 Rued Vineyard Chardonnay
"Acidic, in the winery’s style, with a tart, citrusy brightness to the dry flavors of butterscotch, sautéed bananas, green apples and pears. An exotic Chardonnay to drink now, and don't serve it too cold...90 points."

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And from the rest of the wine press:

2009 Fox Den Vineyard Pinot Noir
Bright, saturated red with ruby highlights. Reticent aromas of blueberry, sassafras and wild herbs, with a light resiny nuance. Supple and creamy but shapely, with nicely integrated acidity giving shape to this very young pinot. Sappy, extract-rich flavors of raspberry, herbs and earthy spices lead to a classically dry and very savory finish. Conveys a strong impression of soil character that goes well beyond mere fruitiness...92 points."
~ Stephen Tanzer

2009 McDougall Vineyard Pinot Noir
"Good full red. Brooding aromas of raspberry and menthol are joined by a floral element as the wine opens in the glass. Silky, classically dry and savory, with a lovely light touch and an impression of almost salty minerality. More red and less black in fruit character than the Green Valley examples. Really dusts the palate on the long aftertaste. This opened beautifully with air, but I'd still wait at least a year or two to pull the cork...93 points."
~ Stephen Tanzer

2009 Freestone Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir
"Good deep red. Macerated sour cherries in alcohol on the nose. Silky and highly concentrated but unevolved and not yet showing much nuance. There's an almost syrupy, cherry confiture quality to the fruit; it's like a reduction of cherry today. Made from tiny, thick-skinned berries, this seamless wine finishes with extremely fine tannins and sneaky persistence. This pinot will merit a higher score if it develops more complexity with time in bottle...90(+?) points."
~ Stephen Tanzer

2009 Freestone Hill Pinot Noir
"Cool-climate aromas of dark, fleshy fruit, gentle herbs and mint. The palate is bracingly acidic, yet juicy and generous. Firm tannins suggest cellaring. Drink 2013-2020...18 points/four stars."
~ Decanter, Summer 2011

2009 Fox Den Vineyard Pinot Noir
"This incisively varietal effort is long on substantial, young Pinot fruit without resorting to high ripeness. It smells and tastes of cherries and violets and cola and dark soils, and its supple feel presages classic varietal velvet to come. Its balancing acids and very trim tannins speak to a fine future ahead, and, as much as we like this now, it is not close to showing its best...92 points."
~ Connoisseur's Guide

2009 Morelli Lane Vineyard Zinfandel
"Ripe blackberry aromas tinged with bits of dried twig on the one hand and pert cherries and cranberries on the other make a good if still somewhat tight beginning, and the wine returns the favor on the palate where its youthful flavors are long, tasty and refined but have plenty of room to grow way before they show their best. Medium-full in body and a bit tannic at this stage, this is one zinfandel that we will put away for a bit...91 points."
~ Connoisseur's Guide

2009 Dutton Ranch Chardonnay
"Creamy lemon, spicy Asian pear, lime zest, and a hint of vanilla."
Recommended salmon pairing
~ Sunset Magazine

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We have shelf talkers available on our website, along with sell sheets for the 2009 vintage wines that are currently released. To access them, visit the Trade section of our website.

Wine Terminology
From Pinot Forum materials.

Tannin: A group of organic substances present in grape skins and seeds, responsible for the astringent, puckery quality in wines.

Ullage: French term for the air space in a cask or bottle of wine, caused by slow evaporation.

Variety: A species of plant, such as Vitis Vinifera, is made up of multiple varieties, such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Riesling. Over 8,000 varieties of grapes have been described, but only 20% are used for winemaking.

Varietal: Term used in the wine trade for wines named for the grape variety from which they were made, as opposed to geographical names or fanciful names.

Veraison: The third significant marker in the annual growth cycle of the grapevine when the grapes change color, from green to yellow-green in the case of white varieties, and from green to some shade of red-black in the case of red varieties.

Vinifera: The species of the genus Vitis to which most varieties of wine grapes belong.

Volatile Acidity: Describes the aromas and tastes in wines with high levels of acetic, butyric, formic, and proprionic acids.

Wilson Grover Formations: Soil formed by the breakdown of marine sandstone.

Yeast: Single-celled, asexual plant organisms that bring about fermentation in grape juice.