Above the eastern branch of the Eel River is where one will find the Ryan Vineyard, from which we have already created a single-vineyard Pinot Noir and a skin-fermented Pinot Gris, with even more fruit from this site adding to the outstanding Emerald Pinot Noir and the Eel River Valley Pinot Noir.
Pinot Noir & Pinot Gris
Ryan Vineyard
Humboldt County
2018 Ryan Vineyard Pinot Noir Humboldt County
TASTING NOTES: Classic Ryan Vineyard deep garnet color with a pleasing bouquet of aromas of tart blackberries, wild blueberries, fresh violets, black figs, fennel flowers, coriander and a hint of pennyroyal and eucalyptus, this wine excites the palate with red fruit flavors, wild black cherry, dried mission fig, green cardamom, tarragon, floral violets, aged cigar box culminating in a lasting, silky smooth, zesty finish. Decant for one hour prior too enjoying.
$39 SOLD OUT
96 Points – Wine Enthusiast
“The ripe, concentrated fruit flavors in this superb medium- to full-bodied wine range from warm strawberry to brooding black cherry and tangy pomegranate. Lightly accented with baking spices and moderately tannic, there is a bit of nervy tension that bodes well for aging—best from 2024. “
Cellar Selection – Jim Gordon
This site features soils short on nutrients, thereby forcing the vines to struggle and delivering low yields of smaller grapes in smaller clusters with plenty of intensity and distinction.
2018 Ryan Vineyard Skin-Fermented Pinot Gris Humboldt County
TASTING NOTES: This beautiful apricot tinted wine perplexes the senses with engulfing aromas of orange peel, black tea, and a soft minerality. Savory and bright on the palate, with flavors of wet stone and orange zest, this wine satisfies with fine dusty tannins and a lingering full finish.
WINEMAKER NOTES: Our Skin Fermented Pinot Gris from the Ryan Vineyard is my take on an orange wine. 100% of this wine was fermented on the skins for 10 days. We then pressed 2/3 of the wine off the skins and left the remaining 1/3 on the skins to age inside of a barrel for 8 months. With wine and winemaking, I think it is always important to be adventurous and open minded about different styles and techniques that are utilized around the world. This is a very old-school winemaking style that has been around since 6000 BC in the Republic of Georgia. This is not your typical Pinot Gris which is direct to press and fermented off the skins. It has tannins and body. It is also extremely aromatic and enticing. This wine is fun to make and a great food wine. I hope that you approach it with openness and curiosity, because I know you will love it.
$30
Ryan Vineyard is located just outside the town of Benbow in Humboldt County. I grew up in Benbow and as a kid I would ride my three-wheeler up the East Branch of the Eel River and then go for hikes exploring the mountains and hillsides in that area. I can remember very clearly one particular childhood memory…
One afternoon I was exploring and I stumbled upon an amazing flat meadow that was a good hike off of the river bar. It was a beautiful bench in the middle of the rugged hills around Benbow. About 20 or so years later, I was invited by the owner of that same property to go and look at a vineyard they planted in Benbow.
When I arrived at the vineyard, I was immediately overwhelmed with a feeling of a déjà vu. I thought to myself, I have been here before and then it dawned on me I was standing in the meadow from many years earlier. This vineyard has a special place in my heart and it makes fantastic wines.
Like previous vintages from the Ryan Vineyard, these wines really speaks to the terroir, but I also feel that the vines are maturing to a point where they are starting to create very complex wines.
2018 Eel River Valley Pinot Noir Humboldt County
WINEMAKERS NOTES: The 2018 Eel River Valley Pinot Noir represents our vision of the quintessential expression of Pinot Noir from Humboldt County. As the mighty Eel River winds throughout Humboldt, it experiences the nuances of micro climates from the mountains to the coast. Pockets of warmth, steep ridges, rocky slopes, cool valleys, and coastal fog provide unique vineyard areas to produce an array of Pinot Noir styles. Our Eel River Valley is the amalgamation of those styles. The 2018 is a luxurious blend of five vineyards, Ryan, Alderpoint, Miller Creek, Fruitland Ridge, and Phelps.
TASTING NOTES: In its youth, this wine leaps out of the glass with an abundance of aromas from bramble blackberries, blueberries, red currant, raspberry compote, rainier cherries dried orange peel to luscious earth notes of cinnamon stick, fresh vanilla bean, wet stone, barn wood, alfalfa, and star anise. The nose translates to the palette with those same bramble and tree fruits with an addition of nutmeg and clove. Silky smooth tannins with a juicy long finish make this wine perfect with anything from cheese and charcuterie to salmon or steak
$36
93 Points – Wine Enthusiast
“This vibrant and complex wine is deftly balanced, elegant in texture and offers a subtle array of flavors including black fruit, forest floor and spices like cardamom and clove. Good, subtle acidity and fine-grained tannins help shape an appetizing mouthfeel.”
– Jim Gordon
