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2020 Pinot Noir
Description
Winemaking Notes
Our 2020 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir has deep aromas of plum, brown sugar and baked fruit. Warm and richly inviting, the tannins are present in the mid palate and melt on the finish. This vintage is uniquely earthy and complex with notes of tobacco, baked cherry pie and spice. Enjoy this Pinot Noir now with charcuterie, wild mushroom risotto or grilled pork tenderloin topped with a cherry compote or whole grain mustard sauce.
History
Rod Strong was among the first modern wine pioneers with a vision to plant Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley. In 1968, he planted our heritage River East Vineyard in the alluvial clay-loam soils adjacent to the winery in Healdsburg. Today the Russian River Valley is well established as one of the premier Pinot Noir growing regions in the world, and we continue to rely on the original River East Vineyard as a core contributor to our estate vineyard bottling
The Vineyards
In 2020, Sonoma County received a substantial amount of winter rain before drier weather took over, the season ending up at about 60% of average precipitation. Beautiful summer days with moderate temperatures ended with a long heat spell in mid-August, driving sugars up and leading us to harvest a little earlier than anticipated, but at full ripeness, from August 19-31.
