2021 Synthesis by Martin Ray Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 750 ml

Russian River is Pinot Noir’s American mecca—and those making a pilgrimage would find a visit to the Martin Ray Estate Vineyard enlightening, not to mention thirst-inducing.

Their site lies smack-dab in the middle of hallowed terroir: It’s less than a mile from the intersection of the River and Trenton roads, where the historic Joseph Swan estate has been minting coveted releases for over 50 years. It’s also a few hundred feet from the Vine Hill site where Kistler has produced wines that run for $150.

You can feel the moisture in the air there, as the brisk marine influence sweeps up from the south through the Petaluma Gap. A blanket of fog hugs the ground in the mornings even in the summer, contributing to a day-night temperature variation of around 35 degrees.

Both New World and Old World winemakers have found such cool conditions extremely desirable for keeping the fickle Pinot grape on a slow and even path to maturation. With so much labor and patience required to bring it to the peak of ripeness, the high prices for Russian River Valley Pinot are often justified.

A mix of six celebrated Dijon Pinot Noir clones planted in the Russian River’s famous sandy-loam Goldridge soils contribute to the fascinating complexity of this Synthesis bottling. In 2021, the winemaking team were blessed with a near-perfect vintage. The vines had finally adapted to the accumulated stress of several consecutive drought years, and they responded by self-regulating their yields, meaning that quantities were extremely small. An uptick in heat at the start of autumn concentrated berries further and pushed ripeness to a dream level—and you’ll taste it in this bottle.