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Restaurant Wine
Restaurant Wine Reviews Freeman Wines
2022 ‘RYO-FU’, GREEN VALLEY, RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY + These 2022 Chardonnays are wonderful wines and great values. The Ryo-Fu (Japanese for ‘cool breeze’, i.e, from the Pacific Ocean that sweeps RRV vineyards) is supple, full bodied, and finely balanced, with floral and fruity flavors (white peach, honey, lemon peel, vanilla, pineapple), and a long, crisp finish. Enjoyable now, but can age further. Grapes from the renowned Heintz Ranch and Dutton Ranch Shop Block vineyards. Aged 10 months in French oak barrels, 9% new. 505 cases. 12.8% [2025-2027] ª The Hawk Hill is exceptional: ripe and supple in style, with excellent depth of flavor (white peach, pineapple, vanilla, toast, honey, oak), great balance, and a long, vibrant finish. Very fine quality and value. Warrants further aging. Aged 11 months in French oak barrels. Clone: UCD 4. 206 cases. 13.7% [2026-2028] The 2021 Pinot Noirs from Freeman are among its very finest yet. All have intense, distinctive character, good depth of flavor, and wonderful length. The 2021 West Sonoma Coast is a very fine wine at the price. It is medium full bodied, fragrant, and very distinct in flavor (rose petal, cherry, plum, white pepper, black tea, toast), finely balanced, and long on the finish. Great value; warrants another year or two of aging. Five day cold soak. Aged 11 months in French oak barrels, 28% new. Entirely from the Yu-ki Estate vineyard. Clones: Calera, Mt. Eden, Wadenswil 2A, Mariafeld 23, and Dijon 114, 667, and 828. 680 cases. 12.8% [2025-2028] ª The RRV is terrific: a beautifully balanced, moderately intense wine with cherry, plum, rose petal, black tea, and oak flavors, and a very long, harmonious finish. Enjoyable now, and likely at its best in 2025 and beyond. 5 day cold soak. Aged 11 months in French oak barrels, 22% new. Vineyard sources: 47% Gloria Estate, 35% Pratt, 18% KR Ranch. 1,144 cases. 13.5% [2025-2028] ª The 2021 KR Ranch is outstanding: a full bodied, ripely flavored wine with fine depth, excellent flavor (black cherry, raspberry, black tea, rose petal, mint, cedar, oak), and a very long, mildly tannic finish. Still evolving, can be aged further. Excellent value. 5 day cold soak. Aged 11 months in French oak barrels, 40% new. Clones: 85% Mariafeld (23), 15% Dijon 777. 264 cases. 14% [2026-2030] ª The 2021 Gloria Estate is exceptional: full bodied, medium rich, and very long on the palate, with refined aroma and flavor (rose petal, cherry, red licorice, black tea, guava), fine balance, and long and persistent on the finish. Warrants another two+ years of aging. 5 day cold soak. Aged 11 months in French oak barrels, 24% new. Clones: Dijon 115, Swan, Calera, Pommard, Martini. 494 cases. 13.1% [2026-2030] ª The 2021 Yu-Ki (named for the owner’s nephew, which in Japanese also means ‘courage’ and ‘big tree’) is full bodied, intense in flavor (black cherry, rose petal, blackberry, black tea, toasted oak), and long and lightly tannic on the finish. Exceptional; likely at its best in 2026 and beyond. One of the winery’s best-ever Pinot Noirs, from estate vineyards above the town of Occidental, 5 miles from the Pacific Ocean. 5 day cold soak. Aged 11 months in French oak barrels, 36% new. Clones: Mariafeld 23, 114, 667, 828, Wadenswil 2A. 445 cases. 13.1% [2026-2030] |
