Freeman Winery

Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

This was a drought-busting vintage for the Russian River Valley. The winter of 2016–2017 was one of the wettest on record, fortifying the vines with deep, soaking rains. Perfect spring and summer weather led us to believe we’d be back to “normal” with a late September harvest—something we hadn’t seen since 2012—but two major heat waves at the end of August accelerated ripening and altered picking dates dramatically.

Freeman’s Gloria Estate Vineyard contributed more than half of the fruit for the 2017 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. All five clones from Gloria were well-represented in the blend, and 2017 marks the 7th vintage since we planted the vineyard in 2006. This steep, hillside site, located right next to the winery, has really come into its own.

The blend also includes fruit from Jim Pratt’s vineyard on Sexton Road and the KR Ranch, formerly known as Keefer. We’ve been enjoying grapes from Pratt since 2005 and Keefer since 2004, so these two sites are very much a part of Freeman’s history. For the second year in a row, the Carricola Vineyard on Mill Station Road added its classically ripe, Russian River Valley flavors to our wine.

At first sip, the 2017 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir tastes similar to our Gloria Estate Pinot Noir. It has all of the deep berry aromas of the Gloria, but as it aerates in the glass, a cooler, spicier aspect of the nose emerges. On the palate, it’s perfectly balanced between fruit, acidity and ripe tannins, while the black cherry flavors go on and on into the finish. This wine should be at its best from late 2019 through 2026.