August 17, 2021: Today we bring you two eminently approachable, affordable and quaffable Pinot Noirs from Sonoma. Both David Hirsch and Joseph Swan have been growing grapes and producing wine in Sonoma since the late 1960’s.
David Hirsch was inspired to create the Bohan-Dillon Pinot Noir as an homage to the great village wines of France: a wine full of place and personality, made with the same attention and integrity as the top wines, yet at an incredible price. The only difference is a shorter time in barrel. It's in the blending that the Bohan-Dillon is differentiated from their other wines. For the Bohan, they select the most charming, silky barrels, with an emphasis on gentle tannins and exuberant fruit.
Like all of the Joseph Swan Cuvée de Trois blends, the emphasis is on creating a wine that drinks well upon release but one that is surely capable of rewarding with some aging. The primary goal in bottling this wine is to produce a Pinot Noir that speaks of the terroir of the Russian River Valley as a whole and best reflects the character of the vintage. Typical of the 2016 vintage for Russian River Valley Pinots Noirs, darker fruits with a bit more muscle. Seriously good juice.