>94Pts Wine News

This is killer classic Russian River Pinot. I tasted through all their designates and this is by far the best. Dan Goldfield is a master Pinot winemaker.

Tasting Notes:

Restaurant Wine gave the wine 5 stars:

WE: The Freestone Hill bottling is one of Dutton-Goldfield's biggest and most powerful Pinot Noirs, and the '06 is stunning as the magnificent. It just explodes in the mouth with succulent cherry and raspberry pie, mocha and spicy anise and pepper flavors, with fabulous complexities from smoky oak. Terrific now, but the tannins will hold it for a decade.
Wine News: Black-garnet hue. Earthy aromas followed by fresh cherry, vanilla, tea and glove leather scents. Tasty, juicy black cherry fruit and plum with well-integrated, combed tannins. Rich, lasting finish with caramel and mocha accents.
The Freestone Hill Vineyard is farmed by the Dutton family. Located on a south-facing hillside overlooking the tiny town of Freestone, the vineyard lies just inside the southwest corner of the Russian River Valley AVA. The first Dutton-Goldfield Freestone Hill Pinot Noir came from the 1999 vintage. The wine throws a complex set of aromas leading with blackberry, violet and a coriander-like aroma we refer to as "Freestone Spice." The vineyard is planted to Dijon clones and is the epitome of what we expect from a cold-climate Pinot Noir vineyard. In years when the harvest gives us fruit that stands out as truly unique and different, we will bottle this wine separately as a one of our single-vineyard designate wines; in other years, it will be blended into our Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir to add that exotic spice component to the wine.