2019 Bricoleur Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley California

The 2019 Bricoleur Pinot Noir comes from Bricoleur Vineyards’ estate in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley, a boutique property founded around the idea of bringing wine, food, gardens and hospitality together. The estate’s name comes from the French word bricoleur, describing someone who creates something by assembling different pieces, an idea that also informs the winery’s approach to its wines and its broader estate-to-table philosophy.

The 2019 vintage benefited from abundant winter rainfall, an April heat spell and a mild summer that allowed the Pinot Noir to develop through an extended ripening period. The wine was produced from five Pinot Noir clones—115, 777, 459, Swan and Calera—with each clone vinified separately before being brought together. The fruit was harvested by hand at night on September 30, cold-soaked for three days and fermented with gentle punchdowns before aging for 14 months on its lees in French oak, 40% new and 60% neutral.

The resulting wine reflects both the Russian River Valley site and Bricoleur’s small-production approach, with forest floor, fresh cherry, mushroom, tart red cherry, pomegranate, olive tapenade and anise layered through a silky palate and gentle tannins. Only 709 cases were produced.