2016 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir - Vokel Cellars

Lush black cherry, fresh violet, juicy blueberry. Raspberry compote, white mushroom, ripe boysenberry. Green tea and peat moss, nutmeg and new leather. Rich dark berries blend with pomegranate concentrate and Santa Rosa plum to lead a fruit-focused attack, backed by iris and light herbal tones. Ripe yet restrained and more pretty than powerful, showing sandy loam and turned earth underneath clove and subtle barrel spice. Clean and unmanipulated exhibiting great structure combined with refreshing drinkability. This 2016 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir by Vokel Cellars is friendly, fresh, and delicious.

Vokel Cellars is an ultra-boutique micro producer based out of Sonoma County's Russian River Valley. Led by owner and winemaker Dana von Sternberg the Vokel team produces an extremely limited lineup of wine from their own small estate property and from a few other nearby vineyards. This bottling, crafted from 100% Pinot Noir sourced from multiple sites within the Russian River Valley, is a great example of their house style. It is balanced and bright, brimming with gorgeous RRV fruit without any excess sappiness or extraction. Interestingly this wine largely avoids the sweet cola tones that dominate some Pinot's from the region, and we enjoyed its authentic and transparent feel. This is a wine with no sharp edges that simply drinks well, and is sure to appeal to a wide range of audiences.