Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Reviews

A fresh and very pretty, indeed perfumed nose of ripe red pinot fruit give way to round, supple and easy to like flavors that culminate in a somber but complex and reasonably persistent finish. This forward effort is already drinking well.

At first this is a tumble of forest scents, from mushrooms to conifer and eucalyptus. Then is shades toward eggplant purple in its fruit, with wood spice lasting. As it settles down in the glass, the fruit becomes bosky and dusky while holding that spice. Decant if for braised rabbit. *Best Buy

With a thick coating of caramelized oak and masses of ripe, jammy fruit, this Pinot tastes sweet. But it's complex in its own way, with a pleasant scour of acidity. Drink now with mushroom risotto, lamb chops or, for the best of all worlds, both. -S.H.