Rich, explosive, supple, bright, subdued, tight, expansive, leathery, spicy, toasty, complex – all in one glass of wine? Naturally, I’m talking about Pinot Noir, one of my Dad’s favorite wines and pivotal part of our collection. In his honor, and when the quality of the fruit permits, I make a reserve Pinot Noir.

I make Pinot Noir in a Burgundian style, with grapes from the Russian River Valley that yield a rich, complex wine. I take extra care to treat our Pinot fruit with kid gloves – because I think it makes a huge difference in the finished product.

I gently coax our Pinot Noir through the winemaking process, age it in 100 percent French oak and give it enough time to collect itself in the bottle before I release it. The result is positively hedonistic. Maybe that’s why our Pinot Noir consistently wins critical praise for being elegant and sophisticated.