2016 Rivers-Marie Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

We are really liking Anderson Valley these days.  So much so, we’ve decided to offer our first ever appellation wine from this storied area.  It is a nice counterpoint to our Sonoma Coast sites in that it focuses more naturally on the savory elements of Pinot Noir.  White and black pepper, rhubarb and black cherry dominate the nose and palate.  There is zero percent new oak on this wine which allows all the best attributes of the grape and the vintage to shine through.  Fruit usually takes center stage even in the most coastal of California Pinots but here the rusticity of Anderson Valley provides a nice compliment to all the sunshine in the wine.  We hope to see this cuvee grow in the coming years, adding another nice value bottling to the lineup that provides both higher than expected quality and a nice snapshot of the character of the vintage.