2013 WindRacer Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 750 ml

Eminent Duo’s Lush and Ripe Pinot Noir

This 2013 WindRacer Pinot Noir is for fans of the ripe and lush Pinot Noir that has made Russian River Valley California’s capital for Burgundy varieties. Earning a glowing 93 points from James Suckling, the Pinot is the product of a partnership between two of the most impressive names in California wine: Peggy Furth of Sonoma County’s benchmark Chalk Hill Winery, and Barbara Banke of Jackson Family Wines, whose portfolio includes a bevy of 100-point Lokoya wines, Verité, and Cardinale brands. These women are guided by their six combined decades building some of California’s greatest wines, and their mission at WindRacer is to express California’s world-class sites for Burgundy varieties. They hit the bullseye with the 2013 WindRacer Russian River Pinot Noir, which at $29.99 per bottle — 40% off the release price — is neck-and-neck with wines that fetch twice the price.

WindRacer is not only a collaboration between two of the North Coast’s most accomplished women, but it’s a good-natured competition between them — and the two California regions that each believes does Burgundy best. WindRacer makes lean and focused wines from Anderson Valley — the appellation that Barbara Banke fiercely champions — in addition to the opulent Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the AVA favored by Peggy Furth: Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley.  

It should come as no surprise that Furth takes up for Sonoma County — she and her then-husband Fred Furth played a big part in its rise, turning Chalk Hill Winery into one of California’s most recognizable Chardonnays, and putting the Chalk Hill AVA on the map in the process. Before entering the wine business, Peggy had risen to become the first woman to hold an officer position at Kellogg’s. She was an extremely involved owner at Chalk Hill, and by the time the Furths sold the winery, was serving as CEO.

Barbara Banke, the other half of WindRacer’s eminent team, is part of one of the First Families of Sonoma wine and, as proprietor of Jackson Family Wines, manager of an impossible-to-list number of top California brands. Together, there is little that the two women have not accomplished. At WindRacer, they have kept the focus small — making just two Chardonnays and two Pinot Noirs — and set the bar high.

Like much of California, Russian River Valley enjoyed an outstanding harvest in 2013. The second year of California’s historic drought brought a healthy fruit set, and hydric stress that  resulted in beautiful natural concentration. WindRacer’s Pinot Noir was cold-soaked, and punched down frequently to maximize extraction and add flavor and richness to the already generous Russian River fruit.

The result is a point in Peggy Furth’s column: An exemplary Russian River Pinot that is round and rich, with tons of ripe red fruit and spice. With Peggy Furth and Barbara Banke’s pedigree, Russian River provenance, and a glowing 93 points from James Suckling, this is a no-brainer for the Pinot drinkers who love what Russian River does best.

Jonathan Cristaldi

Editor-in-Chief, Wine Access