Levendi River South Ranch Pinot Noir 2013
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Opening with a bouquet of stemmy earth, lavender and the perfume of a rose garden, this supple, meaty wine is rich in red and blue fruit that's full bodied and concentrated. It finds a freshness in its tangy cranberry finish.
The Greek toast "Levendi" acknowledges a hard day's labor and achievement. It celebrates the fields, the rain and the sun that nurture their special grapes. Essentially, it's a toast "to celebrate life." And it is the philosophy on which they craft their wine.
For more than 30 years, Alison Green Doran has been walking the vineyards that produce the finest grapes in the region. She keeps an eye on every aspect of vine growth—limiting their vigor so that they produce the most concentrated and intensely flavored grapes. Alison has honed her craft into a distinctive style all her own—harvesting at optimum ripeness, and making sure she gets the "pop and jump" out of every grape. At Levendi, Alison has brought vitality and excitement to the development of each vintage. The result of her labors is embodied in the exquisite taste and velvety feel our wines deliver glass after glass—a testament to Alison's dedication to the vineyards, to the fruit and to her passion for the perfect pour.
While the Russian River Valley is a large appellation with multiple climate zones and soil types, it is best known for cool-climate varieties, with Pinot Noir as the most celebrated. The grapes benefit from a reliable late afternoon flow of Pacific Ocean fog through the Petaluma Gap and along the Russian River Valley that ensures slow and steady ripening and the preservation of grape acidity. Today many of California’s most highly regarded Pinot Noir vineyards are in the Russian River Valley, along with its sub-appellation, Green Valley.
Historically Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs had bright red fruit and delicate earthy, mineral notes. But changes in viticultural and winemaking practices have led to stylistic changes in some of the region’s wines. Adjustments to canopy management, among other techniques, have resulted in riper fruit and bolder wines as well. These show flavors of black cherry, blackberry, cola, spice and darker, loamy earth tones, accenting traditional Pinot Noir notes of strawberry, raspberry and light cherry.