Picket Fence Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2006

Smooth as silk and long on flavor, the 2006 Picket Fence Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is a ruby-hued gem of a wine. Made in small lots by Don Van Staaveren (only 274 barrels were produced in 2006 from a single vineyard on Westside Road), this elegant, sophisticated, fruit driven Pinot Noir offers a luxurious nose of ripe cherry fruit, spice, and toasted oak. In the mouth, the wine melts into pure velvet, with a brilliant intensity of flavor and a long, silky finish that endures for up to a minute after gleefully sliding down the throat. Rare is the California Pinot Noir that combines flavor, intensity, and texture into one elegant, alluring package, but Don Van Staaveren hit the mark with the 2006 Picket Fence Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. This wine has true palate appeal. It alone is testimony to what can be done with Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley, when placed in the proper hands. We suggest serving this beautifully balanced wine at cool room temperature (60°-65º F), after just a few minutes of aeration.

The 2006 Picket Fence Russian River Valley Pinot Noir pairs well with a variety of foods. The panel has chosen it to preside over more than one elegant affair because of its crowd pleasing palate appeal and overt charm. We have enjoyed this wine with grilled salmon, served with a creamy, leek infused polenta; a sage, thyme, and onion rubbed pork tenderloin with apricot and cherry chutney; and filet mignon, grilled to perfection with portabella mushrooms. Pan seared duck breast, accompanied by an apple, cherry, and cheddar tart, and oven roasted rack of lamb, served with a white potato and sweet potato röesti get our nod as well with this Pinot Noir. Savory risottos and cream based pastas fill the bill, too, so why not be creative? The 2006 Picket Fence is easy to like with just about any kind of food. Enjoy!

Picket Fence is a family owned vineyard in California’s beautiful Russian River Valley. Here, proprietor Katy Leese has teamed up with Don Van Staaveren, one of California’s most celebrated winemakers, to produce some of the finest Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the entire appellation. And when one considers the address, it is obvious that the Russian River Valley does not lack for talent or beg for notoriety. With such legendary names as Patz and Hall, Paul Hobbs, Rochioli, Siduri, and Williams Selyem as neighbors, it is obvious that Picket Fence enjoys good company. More importantly, the folks at Picket Fence want you to feel at home too and enjoy their wines. Consequently, we are sure you will be hearing a lot more about this great new venture. For now, we are content that we found Picket Fence before the world found it, because let’s face it, there is only so long that a secret remains a secret, especially in a family. Katy Leese chose the name Picket Fence to reflect what she calls “the incredible sense of place that is embodied in her family’s vineyard and Russian River Valley home, and to pay tribute to the belief that picket fences are a timeless symbol encircling what we cherish most.” One taste of this family’s extraordinary wine will solidify the image of coming home. Picket Fence Chardonnay and Pinot Noir embody not only this special place Katy calls home, but the name also personifies the incredible people who make the wine. For starters, the Vineyard Manager at Picket Fence is none other than the meticulous Pete Opatz, the current and past president of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Association, and a man with a long history of producing great Sonoma County fruit. He has worked his magic at Chateau St. Jean and many other premium wineries for over thirty years, before coming to Picket Fence. Paired with Don Van Staaveren, the only winemaker in history to have five wines in the Wine Spectator’s top 100 in the same year, including the # 1 wine, these two gentlemen make for a formidable team. Pete and Don’s collaboration constitutes one of California’s greatest parings: Picket Fence is the latest testament to both men’s dedication and acumen. Russian River Valley The Russian River Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) is one of the largest and most important appellations in California. The Russian River AVA is centered in Sonoma County, south and west of Healdsburg, as it follows the Russian River towards Guerneville and the Pacific Ocean. The southwestern end of the AVA lies just 55 miles north of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. Along the cool fog shrouded banks of the Russian River one finds some of the finest Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the world. Chardonnay constitutes the largest single grape variety in the valley, but Pinot Noir is fast catching up. At present there are more than fifty wineries, hundreds of grape growers, and more than 16,000 acres of planted grapes in the Russian River Valley. The well drained soil and cool climate of the Russian River Valley provide some of the longest hang time for grapes in California, which translates into fine, balanced wines of distinction.