Despite the fact the alcohol by volume is pushing 15 percent, La Rochelle’s Russian River Pinot from this vintage exhibits more elegance than heft. Aromas of black cherry and strawberry are graceful and persistent, and combined with an earthy note and nuances of dried herbs, this is a Pinot that would work beautifully with roasted game birds. It also would be perfectly at home at the Thanksgiving table.
La Rochelle, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir 2008
By Robert Whitley