2015 Karmen Isabella Pinot Noir - Dutton Estate Winery

Bing cherry, crushed lavender, shaved orange peel. Black raspberry, dried twigs, rhubarb pie. Powdered nutmeg and cardamom, crunchy leaves and Earl Grey tea. Tense cranberry emerges from rich earth dotted with brown mushrooms and straw. Clean and pretty displaying delicate fruit and a light tinge of cola. This 2015 Karmen Isabella Pinot Noir by Dutton Estate Winery is a gorgeously restrained Pinot from the Russian River Valley.

Some of the most powerful and fruit forward Pinot Noir in the world comes out of the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County California. However, there are exceptions to every rule. This bottling, crafted using fruit from the Dutton Ranch by Dutton Estate Winery, is a wonderfully well balanced and graceful example harkening back to the early days of wine production in the RRV. There is no sappy oversaturation here, and clearly no secret Syrah or Petit Verdot blend in to add muscle. This is just pure, bright, lovely Pinot Noir brimming with personality. Minimal soft tannin is overwhelmed by juicy acidity in this well-crafted medium bodied wine. Lovers of old-world-styled Pinot should not write off the Russian River Valley, as there are still a handful of producers like Dutton Estate making delightful stuff like this.