Brian David Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2020
94 POINT Russian River pinot noir for under $25?!?! My first thought was...it couldn’t be. Someone’s having a laugh. With neighbors like Rochioli, Williams Selyem, DuMOL, and others alongside the Russian River Valley’s Rodeo Drive, Westside Road, it's sheer and utter madness to think of a pinot noir for less than $50 from that hood. Most producers will be $75 to $100+, easily. But $22, yes, TWENTY-TWO DOLLARS?! PREPOSTEROUS. So I checked again. And once more after that. Would you believe it? It’s LEGIT! Bonafide, even. Alrighty, then. Pinot People! This. Is. Not. A. Drill.
Go, go gadget pinot-collecting-arms (or something like that…)! This one is for serious pinot-philes --- an affliction affecting millions, nay, tens of millions, who crave rich, silky, MASSIVE crowd-pleasing wine and can’t ever get enough. Well, do we have you totally covered today! This is picture-perfect, quality, estate-grown fruit from a vineyard tucked between the legendary Rochioli vineyards and DuMOL’s Flax Estate. That is some prestigious, California grand cru territory so it is little surprise that this wine punches well beyond its fighting weight!
If you’ve never heard of Brian David, you're not alone. This is a brand new project from 3-Michelin Star sommelier turned vintner, Brian Kulich. After stints at the Restaurant at Meadowood, Charlie Palmer, and others, he’s here with a spectacular first effort into the ludicrously difficult market of top-notch RRV pinot noirs. This sultry, seductive beauty rolls over the senses with ripe, red cherry, dragonfruit, and dusty white pepper. The spice box notes of cinnamon and clove perfectly hem in the juicy, sweet core of red fruits, leading to a plush, lush, and in-no-rush finish. Drink this with rebel-rousing, reckless and feckless abandon…because, you know, $22! Not much to go around, and at a price like this, DON’T BLINK!!!
The glass uncovers an intriguing ruby core. The aromas are led by a bounty of black cherry with layers of forest floor, truffle, kola nut, and cinnamon spice. The mouthfeel is generous, driven by dark fruit and excellent acidity, leading into a lovely, long finish. An ideal Russian River example delivering depth and complexity. Drink now–2028.
Technical Details
Country: United StatesRegion: California
Appellation: Sonoma County
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 13.90%
About The Producer
"The 2020 Brian David Pinot Noir Russian River packs so much quality into the bottle, drinking it makes you feel like you’re getting away with something. It comes from an Advanced Sommelier who has worked at MICHELIN three-star restaurants and curated world-class wine lists for the Charlie Palmer Group—and his aim with Brian David is to deliver a thrill-of-the-catch feeling to everyone who takes a sip of one of his wines.
With this bottle, he did it by sourcing grapes from a foggy vineyard in Green Valley, the tiny AVA in the middle of Russian River made famous by the likes of Radio-Coteau, Paul Hobbs, and Littorai. The result is a wine so delicious, generous, and brimming with red fruit that it’s already going on the lists at Niku Steakhouse in San Francisco and Charlie Palmer Steakhouse in Napa.
Our somm friend gets a charge out of generating the same joy in customers that he feels when he discovers a true gem. For years, he did it guest by guest in some of the top restaurants in the US. Now he’s doing it for consumers across America, but with a caveat: He only produces a wine under the Brian David label when the stars align—and align they did on this inaugural release.
We fell hard for this wine’s bounty of black-cherry flavors with intricate notes of forest floor, truffle, kola nut, and cinnamon spice, and for its deep and complex palate."
Pairing Suggestions
Red Meat
Hard Cheese
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