2018 Russian River Valley Barbieri Vineyard Pinot Noir
2018 Pinot Noir
93 Points
The 2018 Pinot Noir Barbieri Vineyard, from a site on Olivet Road, is bright and perfumed, with lovely red berry character pushed front and center. This silky, mid-weight Pinot captures the exuberance of the Russian River, but in a refined style that avoids bombastic intensity. Hints of orange peel, spice and licorice linger. A dollop of whole clusters adds aromatic nuance without dominating the balance.
About This Wine
Dark and decadent, the 2018 Barbieri Vineyard Pinot Noir jumps from the glass with dried cherry accented by candied plum and mushroom notes. The burst of fruit is anchored by a weighty midpalate that glides through the finish on fine-grained tannins and racy acidity. One of our favorites for bringing that stereotypical Russian River Valley fruit profile with a heavyweight swagger, the 2018 impresses now and will benefit from mellowing out in the cellar for a few years.
