A California Pinot Of Interest
San Rafael, California
Wine Style: Pinot and Rosè
Average Price: $
Overall Rating: 91 points
Article Updated: November 7, 2018
Article Updated: November 7, 2018
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Other Row 11 articles:
Row 11 Demi-glace Recipe / Row 11 Santa Maria Pinot
Vineyard Owners:
Richard de Los Reyes
Ken Conner
The story of Row Eleven Wines began in 2004 and has now expanded to four separate wine labels, sourcing their grapes from Santa Maria, the Russian River Valley, and the Napa Valley. The wine name comes from the fact that the winemakers and team enjoyed the eleventh row of grapevines from the sourced vineyards.
My story with Row Eleven Wines began while traveling to Charleston, South Carolina and stopping by a store to pick up a few bottles of wine. I asked for a good Pinot Noir as I had recently returned from a Bourgogne Tasting in the Vougeot, Côtes de Nuits, and Chablis. He recommended Row Eleven. I had tasted a few California Pinot’s before and really was not that impressed. When it came to New World wine, specifically Pinot’s in the United States I steered more towards Willamette Wines more than Napa and Sonoma. I went with the gentleman's suggestion and made the purchase. I’m glad I did. After removing the cork, the first thing I noticed was that there was a phone number on the cork, for you the consumer to contact the winemakers to give them your feedback. That was neat, and a good sales pitch.
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| Row Eleven Wines / I had 2009 |
I will not give out that number; you will have to buy the wine for yourself so you can call. Just a hint, it is not the same number advertised on their website, so no sneaky stuff folks. After consuming the bottle I expressed my interest in the wine, gave some accolades, and the Winemaker Richard contacted me back to personally thank me for the feedback, just like the wine cork says. Row Eleven Wines has four labels, the Russian River which I had just enjoyed, the Viñas 3 that I tried a few months later, a Rosè that I have not tried, but as my wife loves Rosè, I may pick some up for her. Finally came the Santa Maria Valley Pinot which I drank about a year later, and while I was making a red wine demi-glace sauce for a dinner. I didn’t have any more red wine as I drank it all, so I poured a cup of Row eleven into the sauce and it turned out great.
Some basic information taken from the Row Eleven Wines website on this wine is as follows:
The Russian River Pinot Noir grapes are whole cluster-crushed without stems. The wine is then fermented cold at 65°F (19oC) for 10-14 days with the cap almost continuously submerged. After fermentation has gone completely dry, the wine remains in the tank for a period of another seven days. The wine then undergoes malo-lactic fermentation for six months and is then aged for 13 months in two to four-year-old French oak barrels.
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| Picture courtesy of Row Eleven |
When I drank this wine, I had it with some assorted French and American cheeses, and a filet. However, I think it would also pair perfectly with duck or a light flaky fish like Halibut or Seabass. For the vegetarian, try it with some southern collard greens (pork omitted of course).
• pH: 3.5
• TA: 0.65
• Alc.: 14.7
• Brix at harvest: 27
• Vineyards: Sanchietti Ranch thirty-year-old vines
• Clones: Martini, Dijon
• Available in 750ml bottle
Wine and Grape:
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Nose (Bouquet):
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Palate Experience:
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Row 11 Pinot
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Winemaker Notes:
Red cherries, lighter smoke, and hints of bacon
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Winemaker Notes:
A finesse and elegance expected in Russian River Pinot Noir's
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Final notes, review basics, and observations:
*** NOTE TO THE READER ***
I refer to myself as an oenophile though, oenophilia is defined as “a disciplined devotion to wine, accompanying strict traditions of consumption and appreciation.” In a general sense, oenophilia also refers to the enjoyment of wine, often by a layman - which I am, and not qualified as a professional. I just enjoy drinking it, so my rating is based on enjoyment and the overall experience, not the science of an expert, and thus subjective, not objective.
Overall Star Rating:
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91 points
4 out of 5 Stars:
An Outstanding Tasting Experience
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Row Eleven Wines Produced:
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Red: Pinot Noir
White: Rosé
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Regulatory:
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United States: American Viticultural Area
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Other New World wines or winery articles on Wine Dine and Play similar to Row Eleven Wines:
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A Few Old World Favorites:
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A Haddad Estate Shiraz from the Jordan River Valley
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Elegance and purity of fruits, terroir’s, and vintages
Vougeot, Burgundy, France
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A Saint-Émillion Grand Cru
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See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
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| Picture courtesy of Row Eleven |
Bottle Prices
(excluding taxes)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major wine countries and connoisseur’s**
Wine Selection:
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Currency rates in the top wine producing & wine purchasing countries:
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Price Chart :
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2009 (750 ml) Russian River Pinot
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$38.00
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$
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$48.00
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Australian Dollar (AUS)
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$
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£29.00
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£
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$47.00
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$
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¥256.00
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥
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€32.00
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European Union (EUR)
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€
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$51.00
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New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
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$$
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R494.00
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South African Rand (ZAR)
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R
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Row Eleven Wines:
135 Third Street
Suite 100
San Rafael, California 94901
Tasting Room Information:
Website:
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Tasting room:
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+01 415-259-2770
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Website Contact:
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Tasting Room hours:
Pacific Standard Time (GMT, Zulu, or UTC-8:00)
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Monday - Sunday:
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
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Social Media:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
“I like cooking with wine; sometimes I even add it to the food.”
TTFN
