Ripeness is a hallmark of Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley where erstwhile owners of Township 7 — Mike and Lori Raffan — have put down roots in the shale/sandy/volcanic soils. They maintain close ties with the British Columbia winery, so when the Okanagan Valley struggled to navigate the winter-killed 2024 vintage, the Raffans made available about two tons of Pinot Noir from their Four Palms Vineyard west of Santa Rosa, Calif. Four Palms shares a fence line with Duckhorn’s Sonoma-Cutrer, so there’s pedigree to the clone 777, 667 and 115 grapes that T7 winemaker Mary McDermott got to play with as part of her unique Interlude Series. Bottles come the phrase “Made in Canada from imported ingredients” — details required by the Crown. On the Narmata Bench, McDermott, one of North America’s premier sparkling wine talents, kept the Russian River juice for 12 months in 500-liter French oak puncheons rather than standard 60-liter barrels. The inviting light garnet color, freshness and vibrancy is Beaujoalais-like, a veritable fruit punch led by Bing cherry, boysenberry and pomegranate. Touches of saddle leather and earthiness adds more typicity amid a fascinating structure as cranberry compote juiciness rides just over the top of the tannin profile. Suggested pairings list Char Siu (Cantonese-style barbecued pork) with steamed greens or a baked brie appetizer. Other options include roasted chicken, salmon and Thanksgiving fare. It would require a trip to British Columbia to acquire this Pinot Noir. However, the Raffans can ship across the U.S. bottles of their delectable hand-harvested Four Palms Farm estate extra-virgin olive oil ($29.95), which is milled at scenic Gold Ridge Organic Farms in nearby Sebastapol.
Rating: 92 points — Outstanding!
Production: 509 cases
Alcohol: 13.8%
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Dining and Cooking