Baldassari Russian River Pinot Noir 2018

Traditional Price €63
WineSpark Price €41.04
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Due to extremely limited supply, there's a limit of 3 bottles per customer on this wine.

Russian River in Sonoma is heaven for making world-class Pinot Noir.

It’s far enough inland to get the right heat for ripening the grapes, but close enough to the coast for afternoon breezes to blow in from the ocean which cools them right down again.

It’s this swing in temperature that Pinot needs to ripen fully and taste amazing.

Matt sources his grapes from a sustainably farmed vineyard on the sun-kissed Eastern bench of the valley. He tells me it’s prized fruit and there’s a waiting list for it - he daren’t lose it because there’s no way of getting it back!

Then in the winery he employs every winemaking tactic from his 20 year career for the wine to reach its potential. He ferments 20% whole cluster at the bottom of the tank, which gives it a spicy, earthy note. The fermentation takes 4-5 days to get going naturally, which builds more complexity into the wine.

He ages the wine on its lees for 18 months in barrel, 20-30% of which is new.

You land up with a stunning Pinot with Californian sunshine and Burgundian elegance. The best of both worlds!

Please note due to increased shipping costs from the US, we've had to temporarily increase the price of this wine.

Type

Red

Grape(s)

100% Pinot Noir

Country

USA

Region of origin

Sonoma County, CA

Appellation (if applicable)

Russian River Valley

Vintage

2018

Alcohol %

14.20%

Oak?

Yes

Months in Oak

17 months

Type of Oak

20% new Frenck Oak, 10% year old French Oak 70% neutral oak

Allergens (e.g. Milk, Egg, Fish, Nuts)

None

Average age of vines

20 years

Average altitude of vines (m)

200 feet

Soil type(s)

Alluvial fan and sedimentary tufts

Closure Type

Natural Cork

Is this wine organic?

No

Biodynamic?

No

Sustainably produced?

Yes

Suitable for vegans?

Yes

Ageing potential

7-10 years

Ideal drinking window

2021-2027

Matt Michael is one of Sonoma’s hottest talents. In his day job, he’s the head winemaker for Robert Young Estate in Alexander Valley - one of the most famed growers and wineries in Sonoma.


And on the side, he’s slowly growing his small family business, Baldassari Wines, with his dad Dom.

Read more about Matt here

Heritage breed bacon wrapped pork loin smoked with indirect heat served with braised morel mushrooms and creamy Yukon gold smashed potatoes.

We know how important it is to get your wine order quickly and efficiently. So we’ve partnered with UPS to offer next-day delivery on our wines.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • It’s free - delivery is already included in the members' price
  • It’s fast - you’ll get next-day delivery if you order before 12pm Monday-Thursday
  • It’s environmentally-friendly - all our orders are shipped carbon neutral with UPS.

We ship to the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland only. €2 per case is added to all Northern Ireland orders to cover additional shipping costs. The point of sale occurs in the Republic of Ireland.

Our minimum order requirement is 6 bottles and we ship in multiples of 6’s. This can be 6 different bottles!

You may need to show your ID on delivery.

Please read our Terms & Conditions for more information.

Customer Reviews

Based on 3 reviews
67%
(2)
0%
(0)
33%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
N
N.K. (Dublin)

This wine was very fruity, jammy with a pronounced oak and vanilla taste with all the elements jarring a bit with each other. Hard to see it all coming together and a little too much alcohol concentration for me. I’d never guess Pinot Noir in a blind tasting. Just not my style of wine (84)

L
LB (Dublin)
will be back for more

This Pinot went really well worth our Christmas dinner. It was a bit of a gamble for the occasion but it did not disappoint. It would be hard to find equally good French burgundy at this price. Will definitely stock up again and look forward to.

T
Tom Cotter (Crosshaven)
getting there but...

This Pinot Noir was a bit of an adventure. It got most things right, but the tannins are still a little sparky. Give it another year or two.

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