A Notable “Old World Style” Wine
San Rafael, California USA
Wine Style: New World
Average Price: $
Overall Rating: 91 points
Article Written in September 2013
Article Updated in March 2019
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:
Château or Vineyard Owner:
Richard de Los Reyes
I first wrote about Row Eleven when I happened upon a little wine store just outside Charleston, South Carolina, where the wine distributor was offloading for the store-owner. We started into the conversation, and he recommended the Row Eleven. I was very impressed, writing an article on Wine Dine and Play that you can read about by clicking here. That fateful encounter would lead to the continuing stories with Row Eleven and their wines. Now I have the opportunity to review the Santa Maria 2011 Pinot Noir, soon to be released, along with a few others.
The grapes for Row Eleven Pinot Noir's come from four vineyards in three distinct appellations. All the vineyards are sustainably grown. When you think of Pinot Noir, most people think of the Old World first. Pinot Noir appeared in Burgundy around 6 BC. Over one millennium, scholars, princes, soldiers, kings, and Popes have traveled through the fabulous Cote d’ or, drinking, hearing, and dreaming about the great wines found there. New World Pinot Noir was pushed by plantings in California in the 1990s in the Russian River and Santa Maria Valleys where California’s Mountains, climate, and soil combine to make a good growth of Pinot Noir grapes.
After writing my first article on Row Eleven in 2012, the wine owner and I kept in contact, and since I was traveling through the area where his office was located, on my way to Napa, I let them know that I would pop in. Unfortunately, I arrived when they were on vacation since, in a few weeks’ time, it would be harvest, and they would be working like cats and dogs. Therefore, they emailed me to stop by the office anyway, where they had a few bottles waiting for me to pick up and try. One of which was their 2011 Santa Maria Pinot noir (soon to be released). Not only did I enjoy as always, I decided while doing some cooking a few days later to enjoy the entire bottle. I even included it as part of the recipe, for a sauce I was making; the Row Eleven Red Wine Demi-Glace, a sauce that takes nearly eight hours to reduce, but in the end goes great with steak.
Wine and Grape:
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Nose (Bouquet):
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Palate Experience:
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2011 Santa Maria Pinot:
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Winemaker Notes:
Bien Nacido, Sierra Madre, and J. Torres Appellations; Wild berries, heavy spice, and cola.
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Winemaker Notes:
Big yet smooth firm tannins with a velvety long smoky finish. 14.9% ABV
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2011 Rose
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Winemaker Notes:
A blend of Merlot, Grenache, Syrah, and of course Pinot noir. Dark, intense, and cold.
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Winemaker Notes:
possessing layered aromatics, concentrated ripeness of fruit and a complex, yet classy palate 13.9% ABV
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2009 Russian River Pinot noir
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Winemaker Notes:
100% Pinot Noir, Russian River, and Dutton Ranch Appellations; Extremely aromatic with complex notes of spice and bacon.
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Winemaker Notes:
This wine possesses lively, clean, and focused fruit flavors. The tannins are firm to medium without being aggressive and are in perfect balance to the hint of smoky wood from the French oak barrel aging. 14.7% ABV
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2009 Vinas 3 pinot
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Winemaker Notes:
100% Pinot Noir, Santa Maria, Russian River, and Napa AVA’s; Bright fruit and smoke, misty like a forest after a rainfall.
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Winemaker Notes:
expressively layered with deep fresh cherries, lightly toasted French oak and minimal tannins. 13.9% ABV, cloned from Burgundy vines
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Final notes, review basics, and observations:
*** NOTE TO THE READER ***
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about.
To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
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. See the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ on how I arrived at the rating percentage below:
Overall Star Rating For
Row Eleven:
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5 of 5 Stars:
An Extraordinary Tasting Experience
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Wines Produced
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Red: Pinot Noir
White: Rosé
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Grape Blends
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Red:
Pommard and Dijon Burgundian clones
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Wine regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is the strength, in the water there are bacteria.” - David Auerbach
United States:
California:
Sub-Napa AVA’s:
Other California wines, winery (Château’s), or food articles on Wine Dine and Play:
Kamen Estates Low yield, high quality + film writing in Sonoma, California
Silver Oak Cellars Near the Silverado Trail, known for high-end Cabernet in Oakville, California
A Few New World Favorites:
Biltmore Estate Local and California grapes produced in Asheville, North Carolina
Chateau Montelena The famed Bottle Shock “Judgement of Paris” winner in Calistoga, California
Erath Vineyards Pioneers in Oregon Pinot in Dundee, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Ken Forrester A focus on the Rhône vs Bordeaux Meritage in Stellenbosch, South Africa
Sijnn Wines Sister winery to De Trafford near Stellenbosch, South Africa
Some Old World Favorites:
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Bottle Prices
(excluding taxes)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major wine countries and connoisseur’s**
Currency rates in the top wine producing & wine purchasing countries:
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Price Chart :
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2011 Santa Maria Pinot noir (750 ml)
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$
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Australian Dollar (AUS)
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$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€
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New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
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$
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South African Rand (ZAR)
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R
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2011 Rose (750 ml):
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£
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European Union (EUR)
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€
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2009 Russian River Pinot (750 ml):
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£
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European Union (EUR)
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€
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Row Eleven Vineyards:
135 Third Street, Suite 100
San Rafael, CA 94901
Tasting Room Information:
Website:
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Tasting room:
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+1 415 259 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:
11:00 am - 5:00 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for
Row Eleven:
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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.
A few to tease you with…
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Creatively presented high-energy Mediterranean Fare
Denver, Colorado, USA
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Farm-to-fork upscale local chain for Southwestern cuisine
Austin, Texas, USA
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Upscale eatery with butchery at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida, USA
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“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is the strength, in the water there are bacteria.”
- David Auerbach
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
