Freeman Winery

KR Ranch Pinot Noir

From 2004 through 2015, Freeman made a vineyard-designated Pinot Noir from Keefer Ranch in the Russian River Valley. The Dutton family took over the management of this famous block in 2016, and we came up with a new name for it: KR Ranch. The property sits in the center of the Green Valley, located in the southern and western parts of the Russian River Valley. This area is much cooler than those at the appellation’s northern end, so it is ideally suited to growing Pinot Noir.

The winter of 2016-2017 was one of the wettest on record, almost prompting us to worry that the Green Valley would wash out to sea. KR Ranch lies in an area that received more than 60 inches of rain in a four-month period! The vines relished the rain after four years of below-average rainfall, but cool May temperatures resulted in a lower-than-normal fruit set and a smaller yield.

The deeply colored 2017 KR Ranch Pinot Noir starts out quietly when you first open the bottle and takes several hours to evolve. The typical KR aromas of bright berries and roses emerge in the glass, along with a bit of mint and spice. Similar to the nose, the palate is lighter at first, but given some time, a medium body comes along with KR’s typical high acidity. The tannins are elevated in this young wine, and it should last for a good 10 years in the bottle, through 2028.