The Founders Reserve is a departure in style from previous Sonoma-Cutrer Pinots, which have exhibited exceptional elegance and finesse. The Founders is hardly an oaf, but it is a powerhouse packed with layered dark fruits, particularly an intense black raspberry aroma that sets the tone. On the palate this wine is rich and dense, with excellent weight and structure, including a fair amount of tannin on the back end that will surely prolong the life of this bad boy.
Sonoma-Cutrer, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County) Pinot Noir 2012
By Robert Whitley