Full Review

Ron Rubin

Ron Rubin
2021 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

Pair this wine with:
Beef Cheese Pasta Pork

Category: Pinot Noir

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 14.3%
92 Points
Gold Medal
Exceptional
$24

Ron Rubin
2021 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

Pair this wine with:
Beef Cheese Pasta Pork

Category: Pinot Noir

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 14.3%
Ruby color. Aromas and flavors of candied red berries, kola, forest floor and mint, and roasted mushroom with a velvety, crisp, dry medium body and a tingling, complex, medium-length finish with impressions of red bramble berries, baking spice, cocoa nibs, and green herbs with light oak flavor. This delicious Pinot Noir offers up the depth of fruit and balance of production style that one expects from this region.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: Spicy & Complex
Aroma Aroma: candied red berries, kola, forest floor and mint, and roasted mushroom
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with impressions of red bramble berries, baking spice, cocoa nibs, and green herbs
Sweetness Sweetness: Dry
Enjoy Enjoy: Now-3 years with food and on its own
Recipes Pairing: Baked Ham, Meat Loaf, Lasagna
Bottom Line Bottom Line: This delicious Pinot Noir offers up the depth of fruit and balance of production style that one expects from this region.

The Producer

River Road Family Vineyards and Winery

The Producer
5220 Ross Road
Sebastopol, CA 95472
USA
1 707-887-8130

Their Portfolio

92 Blue Bin 2022 Sauvignon Blanc, California 13% (USA) $15.00.
92 Blue Bin 2022 Vin Rosé, California 12.5% (USA) $15.00.
88 Blue Bin 2022 Chardonnay, California 12.5% (USA) $15.00.
89 Blue Bin 2022 Pinot Grigio, California 12.5% (USA) $15.00.
86 Blue Bin 2023 Chardonnay, California 12.5% (USA) $14.00.
89 Blue Bin 2023 Pinot Grigio, California 12.5% (USA) $14.00.
86 Blue Bin 2023 Vin Rosé, California 12.5% (USA) $14.00.
88 Blue Bin 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, California 12.5% (USA) $14.00.
88 Camino Del Rio 2023 Sin Roble, Chardonnay, California 12.5% (USA) $14.00.
89 Pam’s Un-Oaked 2021 Chardonnay, California 12.5% (USA) $14.00.
87 Pam’s Un-Oaked 2021 Chardonnay, California 12.5% (USA) $15.00.
87 Pam’s UN-Oaked 2022 Chardonnay, California 12.5% (USA) $14.00.
85 Pam’s UN-Oaked 2022 Chardonnay, California 12.5% (USA) $15.00.
88 Pam’s UN-Oaked 2022 Chardonnay, California 12.5% (USA) $15.00.
86 Pam’s Un-Oaked 2021 Un-Oaked, Cabernet Sauvignon, California 12.5% (USA) $16.00.
86 River Road 2019 Double Oaked, Chardonnay, California 14.8% (USA) $16.00.
87 River Road 2019 Pinot Noir, California 13.5% (USA) $19.00.
94 River Road 2018 Stephanie’s Cuvee, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley 14.3% (USA) $29.00.
85 River Road 2022 Double Oaked, Chardonnay, California 14.8% (USA) $16.00.
94 River Road 2023 Reserve, Pinot Meunier, Russian River Valley 13.7% (USA) $24.00.
88 Ron Rubin 2019 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 13.7% (USA) $20.00.
92 Ron Rubin 2019 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley 14.3% (USA) $25.00.
92 Ron Rubin 2021 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley 14.3% (USA) $24.00.
87 Ron Rubin 2019 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 13.7% (USA) $20.00.
93 Ron Rubin 2022 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 13.5% (USA) $19.00.
86 Ron Rubin 2022 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 13.5% (USA) $20.00.
87 Ron Rubin 2022 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 13.5% (USA) $20.00.
87 Ron Rubin 2022 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley 13.7% (USA) $24.00.
88 Ron Rubin 2023 Chardonnay, Sonoma County 13.5% (USA) $19.00.
91 Ron Rubin 2023 Chardonnay, Carneros 14.5% (USA) $29.00.
87 Ron Rubin 2023 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 13.5% (USA) $20.00.

Pinot Noir

Wine Glass Burgundy.jpg
Serve in a Burgundy Wine Glass
Pinot Noir is one of the world’s most fascinating red varieties. While many red grapes produces wines of power and youthful intensity, a wine made from Pinot Noir is often more refined with higher acidity and lower levels of tannins. The spiritual home for Pinot Noir is Burgundy, where it is produced in many styles, from very light to examples that can age for two to three decades.

Pinot Noirs tend to have aromas and flavors red cherry fruit, while some offer notes of wild strawberry, plum or even floral notes such as carnation and red roses. As tannins in Pinot Noir are not as pronounced as in a grape such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Nebbiolo, most Pinot Noirs can be enjoyed upon release, which is usually two to three years after the vintage.

Burgundy works extremely well for Pinot Noir, as it is a cool climate; a warm or hot climate would not bring out the perfumes of the variety. Thus growers in several countries have planted Pinot Noir in their coolest regions, looking to emulate Burgundy. These include the Willamette Valley in Oregon; Russian River Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills in California (among others); Central Otago in New Zealand; Casablanca and San Antonio Valleys in Chile and the Rheinhessen, Pfalz and Baden in Germany (where the grape is known as Spatburgunder). The concept of terroir – a wine is the producet of its specific environment – is most often associated with Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noirs tend to pair well with poultry (duck a l’orange is a classic match), game birds and even certain types of seafoods (as tannins are low), such as salmon, tuna and halibut.