WHAT THE PRESS IS SAYING ABOUT US

~ Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

"Good bright, dark red. Initially rather brooding aromas of dark raspberry, fresh pepper, cardamom and wild herbs convey a strong soil character; a piquant note of orange peel emerged to lift the nose. Then silky, dense and very pure in teh mouth; quite dry in a classic way, with a fine-grained texture to the urgent black cherry, wild blackberry and spice flavors. This is notably different in style from this producer's Sonoma County wines, and an excellent example of this cooler appellation. Finishes long and aromatic, with lovely subtelty of flavor. Extended aeration brought even more energy and perfume. This may ultimately merit an even higher score...92 points. [2007 Devil's Gulch Vineyard Pinot Noir]

"Bright, medium cherry-red. Vibrant aromas of black cherry, raspberry, rose petal and orange zest; a real essence of pinot noir in a Chambolle way. Then juicy, silky and brisk, with red fruit, orange peel and spice flavors framed by ripe, harmonious acidity. There's no oakiness to get in the way of the pure, sharply focused fruit of this very suave and high-pitched pinot..90 points." [2007 Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir]


"Bright medium red. Lively, complex aromas of black cherry, licorice, black tea and sassafras. Youthfully reticent but suave and silky, with sneaky intensity and depth to the pure dark cherry and spice flavors. Conveys real breadth and volume without any undue weight and finishes sappy and long, with well-integrated tannins. A very refined pinot that could use a year or two to stretch out...91 points." [2007 Sanchietti Vineyard Pinot Noir]

"Good medium red. Restrained aromas of red fruits, chocolatey oak, brown spices and underbrush; showing a bit less early lift than the basic Dutton Ranch bottling. Then pure, spicy, dry and quite closed, with a medicinal reserve currently suppressing the wine's sweetness and flesh. Fresh and intense but rather muted today, and less racy than the Dutton Ranch bottling. Finishes with a firm spine of dusty tannins. This needs patience...89 points." [2007 McDougall Vineyard Pinot Noir]

"Good bright, dark red. Reticent, youthfully medicinal aromas of cherry, currant and menthol; the fruit is currently in the background. Concentrated, chewy and rich but the most backward and tannic of this set of pinots; plenty of extract here but not yet as energetic or complex as the Devil's Gulch. This, too, saturates the mouth with flavor without leaving any impression of weight. (These wines are all listed at a very reasonable 13.5% alcohol, by the way, and I wish that more North Coast pinots could achieve this much intensity and complexity of flavor at moderate octane levels.) There's already an impressive sweetness to the black cherry and brown spice flavors, but there's much more to come. Very broad and suave on the aftertaste. This is easily the finest set of pinots I've tasted to date from this producer...92 points." [2007 Freestone Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir]

~ Restaurant Wine

"These are finely flavored Chardonnays. The Dutton Ranch is full bodied, round, and both refined and complex in flavor (pineapple, peach, lemon peel, vanilla, roasted nut), with excellent balance and length. Fine value. The Rued version is exceptional: supple, full bodied, and restrained yet rich in character; a wine with peach, melon, lime, and orange blossom character, and overtones of roasted nut, vanilla, and spicy oak.."
2007 Dutton Ranch Chardonnay - 4 stars
2007 Rued Vineyard Chardonnay - 5 stars

"These are exceptional Pinot Noirs, each one distinctive and refined in its own right. the Devil's Gulch is full bodied, crisp, and both intense and long on the palate, with cherry, plum, pomegranate, toast, clove, and rosehips aromas/flavors. Long aftertaste. Very fine quality. The Freestone Hill bottling is a complex, full bodied, crisp Pinot Noir, with rich flavors (blackberry, rosehips, pepper, blueberry, toast, and spicy oak), and a very long finish. The Sanchietti is luscious and very ripe in style; a full bodied, rich Pinot Noir, with long flavor development on the palate, and a finish tasting of blackberry, black cherry, red currant, toast, nutmeg, and spicy oak.."
2007 Devil's Gulch Vineyard Pinot Noir - 5 stars
2007 Freestone Hill Pinot Noir - 5 stars
2007 Sanchietti Vineyard Pinot Noir - 5 stars

"Wow! A luscious, ripely flavored, full bodied Zin with excellent character and balance, and a long, harmonious finish, tasting of blackberry jam, cherry syrup, black pepper, and spicy oak. Exceptional."
2007 Russian River Valley Zinfandel - 5 stars

~ Burghound

"A delicately spiced and elegant nose of pure and fresh red pinot fruit that is given depth by the presence of violet and plum aromas merges into an equally pure middle weight flavors that possess good detail and a sophisticated mouth feel on the slightly dusty finish. This is really lovely and like the Sanchietti, there is a highly attractive sense of harmony. Worth a look...91 points." [2007 McDougall Vineyard Pinot Noir]

"A softly spiced nose features fresh, ripe and layered violet, plum and cassis aromas that slide gracefully into delicious, detailed and pure medium-bodied flavors that are balanced and harmonious. This is a really pretty effort that could be enjoyed now though there is ample potential here. An excellent effort and recommended...92 points." [2007 Freestone Hill Pinot Noir]

"The hallmark spice of the D-G style is present but perhaps a bit more subdued than usual as it adds nuance to the pretty mix of red and blue pinot fruit that evidences hints of both cranberry and raspberry that introduce rich, round and delicious middle weight flavors that possess good mid-palate fat and a generous mouth feel on the balanced and sappy finish. This is already complex but if it can add more, it should be very special. I also like the overall sense of harmony and balance...90 points." [2007 Sanchietti Vineyard Pinot Noir]

"TA very ripe but fresh and very pinot nose of mocha, black cherry liquer and spice notes complements the textured, rounded and supple flavors that possess good mid-palate extract that buffers the moderately firm structural elements on the sappy and mouth coating finish...89 points." [2007 Devil's Gulch Vineyard Pinot Noir]

~ Wine Enthusiast

"Fresh, fruity and acidic, this young Pinot Noir wants some time in the cellar. It's brilliantly structured, with a core of black cherries, cola, rhubarbs, pomegranates, mushrooms and spices, with rich notes of smoke, cocoa and cedar. Silky and complex, and should age through 2013...94 points."[2007 McDougall Vineyard Pinot Noir]

"Really beautiful. Walks right up to the tartness line, but never crosses it, with rich, citrusy acidity framing ripe, complex flavors of cherries, currants, cola, pomegranates, sandalwood and Asian spices. Clean and pure, and an ager...93 points." [2007 Sanchietti Vineyard Pinot Noir]

"From a cool part of the valley, this wine is marked by fresh acids that give it a grapey jamminess. It's very rich in black cherries, black raspberries and toast, and very dry. Feels sharp and angular now. Give it through 2010 to calm down...91 points." [2007 Freestone Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir]

"Marked by dryness and crisp acidity, this Chardonnay has intricate flavors of pineapples, Meyer lemons, Asian pears and sweet, smoky oak, with a fine merality. Classic and complex, it should develop in the bottle for up to six years...92 points." [2007 Rued Vineyard Chardonnay]

"Very ripe and fruity-spicy, almost like a Zinfandel except for the silkiness, this Pinot shows flavors of black cherry pie filling, red currants and pomegranates, with earthier notes of cola and sweet tobacco. It's a bone dry wine whose thick tannins suggest modest ageability...90 points." [2007 Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir]

"Dramatic in depth and structure, a cool-climate Syrah that will benefit from some time in the cellar. Deeply saturated in color, bone dry and full bodied, it offers ripe flavors of blackberries and black currants, with plenty of black pepper and sweet, chewy leather. Now, with decanting, and through 2013...92 points." 2007 Cherry Ridge Vineayrd Syrah

~ Wine Spectator

"Starts out delicate and fragrant, with wild berry, raspberry and black cherry aromas, yet builds intensity, depth and complexity, revealing its depth of concentration...90 points." [2007 Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir]

"Well-structured, with rich layers of creamy fig, melon and apricot, gaining depth and complexity on the long finish...91 points." [2007 Dutton Ranch Chardonnay]

"Expressive aromas of blueberry cobbler and smoky licorice lead to supple yet concentrated plum, sage and pepper-beef flavors. Drink now through 2014...90 points." [2007 Russian River Valley Zinfandel]

~ Wine & Spirits

"Round and creamy in the middle, light and crisp at the edges, this has fermentation notes of floral jasmine, rice and butter. It's cool and sleek, with a hint of herbal complexity in the end...90 points.." [2007 Rued Vineyard Chardonnay]

~ Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine

"...it is absolutely striking in its focus and depth. Its careful structure, its keen fix on well-ripened cherries and its tantalizing glimpses of coming complexity make a wholly compelling case for a few years of very confident aging...93 points." [2007 Freestone Hill Pinot Noir]

~ Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences

"Amazing aroma of rose petals, grapefruit, and jasmine with a lichee nut note. Bone dry, but still rather succulent. A remarkable wine in that it is bone dry yet does not have any bitterness, a drawback often with such wines...Wine of the Week." [2008 Green Valley Vineyard Gewurztraminer]

"Superb aroma of black pepper, violet, spiced (a bit of anise) and astounding concentration in a wine with 13.7% alcohol and 3.60 pH. One of the best red wines ever made in California. Ought to sell for a lot more than $35...Exceptional." [2007 Cherry Ridge Vineyard Syrah]

"Exotic pomegranate, black and red cherry aroma with hints of nutmeg or sandalwood and traces of violet. A velvety entry leads to a complex tart finish. At least as good as the phenomenal 2006...Exceptional." [2007 Freestone Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir]

"Hint of pepper, loganberry and dried spices and a faint underbrush note make this exotic wine a winner. A very stylish wine with low alcohol adn pH...Exceptional." [2007 Devil's Gulch Vineyard Pinot Noir]

"Violet and raspberry aroma with hints of strawberries; complex aroma from French oak aging, but not oaky. A claret style of wine with ample flavors for 14.1% alcohol, 3.68pH...Exceptional." [2007 Morelli Lane Vineyard Zinfandel]

"Huge aroma of citrus (lime?), pears, spice from French oak, traces of dried fruit, and a classic rich mid-palate and crisp finish. A red wine without color!...Exceptional." [2007 Rued Vineyard Chardonnay]

~ WineReviewOnline

"...delivers layers of black cherry and blueberry fruit, with savory undertones and the telltale white pepper nuance that is often found in Syrah from marginal growing regions. This is a superb food wine...93 points." 2007 Cherry Ridge Vineyard Syrah

~ Newspapers, Websites, Blogs and More

Top 10 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir [2007 Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir] ~ San Francisco Chronicle

"...my favorite from a flight of single vineyard 2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs...opens with an attractive spicy raspberry bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, very nicely balanced, silky, and elegant. The flavor profile is a gentle strawberry with notes of cherry and a hint of raspberry...91 points." [2007 Freestone Hill Pinot Noir] ~ Ken's Wine Guide

Gold Medal - 2007 Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir
Dallas Morning News Wine Competition

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