Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir

Russian River Valley, California, USA

When 5th generation farmer Steve Dutton and veteran winemaker Dan Goldfield inspired to partner and craft their best version of Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the result has been a 25+ year legacy of producing limited production, expressive and delicious wines from certified sustainable Dutton Ranch vineyards in Sonoma County and sites along the cool Sonoma Coast.

Tasting Notes

Aromas: Red cherry, wild raspberry, rose petal.
Flavors: Juicy cherry & berry, rose petals, tea leaf, baking spices.
Body & Finish: Fruit forward, elegant complexity with a silky finish.

Play up the silky texture with similar foods like slow-cooked salmon, succulent duck or pork, or mushroom risotto. An aged Gouda or young Cantal would make great cheese matches.

Pre-Fermentation: 100% hand-sorted, cold soak (5 days) for color, flavor, smooth tannins
Fermentation: Small lots, open tops, daily punchdowns (3x), skin contact 14-20 days
Aging Details: Aged in 100% French oak barrels (40% new) for about 10 months

Farmed by: Dutton Ranch — six generations of farming in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley
Location(s): Emerald Ridge, Bush, Jewell, Goff, Snow
Philosophy: Certified Sustainable by CSWA and Sonoma County — farming with care to preserve the land for future generations
Site Influence: Green Valley brings juicy berry fruit, elegant aromas and balance; Western Russian River Valley brings deep color, structure and focus

Alcohol:  13.8%
Ta: 5.8 g/L
pH: 3.58

Dutton-Goldfield Winery began in a vineyard in 1998, when longtime colleagues and friends Steve Dutton and Dan Goldfield recognized a shared vision between them—to craft wines that express the personalities of their vineyards, and which they’d enjoy drinking at their own dinner tables. Our mission is to produce world-class wines that display the brightness of fruit, complexity, structure and balance that are reflective of our cool coastal home.

Tasting Notes

Pinots from this vintage are intense and structural, showing both beautiful fruit and earthiness reflective of vineyard site. This wine showcases expressive aromas of dark bramble and plum, with a kiss of rose petal and wisp of black tea leaf lingering in the background. Nuanced French oak provides Christmas spice to the ever-present boysenberry and Bing cherry, while earthy notes coalesce with dark chocolate on the finish.

This crowd-pleaser pinot will be happy accompanying fish to fowl, along with savory side dishes that include mushrooms or earthy roasted root vegetables. We think an aged Gouda makes the perfect cheese match.

The 2022 season began with ideal weather conditions and abundant rains. An early bud break culminated in a vintage that began nearly 4 weeks earlier than normal, with Ruxton Vineyard picked on August 12 (usually these grapes arrive later in early September). The predictable Labor Day heat spike packed a punch with temperatures exceeding 110°F and a late-September rain kept us on our toes.

The fruit is hand sorted prior to destemming then gravity fed into small open top fermenters where the must is then cold-soaked for 5 days in order to gently extract spice and fruit characters, while mitigating harsher tannins. We punch down up to 3 times daily, depending on the stage of the fermentation and the nature of the vineyard. Each vineyard block is fermented separately in order to maintain typicity, and to provide us with the most flexibility for blending. Our Pinots generally spend 14 to 20 days on the skins, according to the need of each fermentation. After fermentation, the individual lots are pressed and then racked into French oak barrels to age. We carefully blend our favorite lots in early spring. The final blend rests in barrel six months, marrying flavors and gaining complexity, until we bottle in August with minimal processing.

WINEMAKING: Open top fermentation, cold soak, punch down. BARREL AGING: 10 months in French oak (40% new barrels)

Dutton Ranch farms over eighty unique vineyards located in the coolest areas of the Russian River Valley, primarily in the Green Valley sub-appellation. The Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir blend represents our vision for the character of this special region: juicy berry fruit in both the nose and the mouth, solid structure with fine tannins, and alluring balance. Bush, Galante, Emerald Ridge, Goff, and Jentoft are all in the heart of Green Valley, and each contributes a unique variation of Green Valley fruit to heighten the complexity of the blend. Ruxton is high on Stoetz Ridge on the western edge of the Russian River Valley and brings great color and focus to the mix. All of these vineyards are Sonoma County Certified Sustainable.

Alcohol:  13.5%
Ta: 6.4 g/L
pH: 3.50

Dutton-Goldfield Winery began in a vineyard in 1998, when longtime colleagues and friends Steve Dutton and Dan Goldfield recognized a shared vision between them—to craft wines that express the personalities of their vineyards, and which they’d enjoy drinking at their own dinner tables. Our mission is to produce world-class wines that display the brightness of fruit, complexity, structure and balance that are reflective of our cool coastal home.

Tasting Notes

This vintage is voluptuous and the wines expressive of their place. The beautiful dark ruby saturated color hints to the lushness of the wine to come, and the nose confirms this impression, popping with a berry bowl of both bright and darker fruit. Boysenberry, cherry, and blueberry dance over sandalwood and baking spice bottom notes, while a scent of purple flowers adds a pretty touch. Plush and supple berry compote juicy goodness takes you through to the lingering finish.

This crowd-pleaser pinot will be happy accompanying fish to fowl, along with savory side dishes that include mushrooms or earthy roasted root vegetables. We think an aged Gouda makes the perfect cheese match.

The mild 2021 season gave us a measured, moderate year and harvest, letting us bring in the fruit exactly when we wanted. Due to the dry year, ripening came on the early side, with our Ruxton vineyard beginning things on August 27, and the last vineyards in this blend from Goff and Galante coming in September 8.

The fruit is hand sorted prior to destemming then gravity fed into small open top fermenters where the must is then cold-soaked for 5 days in order to gently extract spice and fruit characters, while mitigating harsher tannins. We punch down up to 3 times daily, depending on the stage of the fermentation and the nature of the vineyard. Each vineyard block is fermented separately in order to maintain typicity, and to provide us with the most flexibility for blending. Our Pinots generally spend 14 to 20 days on the skins, according to the need of each fermentation. After fermentation, the individual lots are pressed and then racked into French oak barrels to age. We carefully blend our favorite lots in early spring. The final blend rests in barrel six months, marrying flavors and gaining complexity, until we bottle in August with minimal processing.

WINEMAKING: Open top fermentation, cold soak, punch down. BARREL AGING: 10 months in French oak (40% new barrels)

Dutton Ranch farms over eighty unique vineyards located in the coolest areas of the Russian River Valley, primarily in the Green Valley sub-appellation. The Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir blend represents our vision for the character of this special region: juicy berry fruit in both the nose and the mouth, solid structure with fine tannins, and alluring balance. Bush, Galante, Emerald Ridge, Goff, and Jentoft are all in the heart of Green Valley, and each contributes a unique variation of Green Valley fruit to heighten the complexity of the blend. Ruxton is high on Stoetz Ridge on the western edge of the Russian River Valley and brings great color and focus to the mix. All of these vineyards are Sonoma County Certified Sustainable.

Alcohol:  13.5%
Ta: 6.3 g/L
pH: 3.58

Tasting Notes

Notes of deep dark cherry and blackberry lead the nose, weaved through with rhubarb and violets adding their savory and floral accents. The aromas become more saturated and dense with time in the glass, showing candied raspberry and earthy peat top and bottom notes. The mouth is full, rich, and sleek, with a tempting mix of black raspberry and baking spices creating a sultry caress across your palate. A brooding yet fresh finish lingers well into your next sip. Play up the silky texture with similar foods like slow-cooked salmon, succulent duck or pork, or mushroom risotto. An aged Gouda or young Cantal would make great cheese matches.

Savory notes of rhubarb, beet, and thyme back up the fruit, making this easy-pairing wine great with everything from warm chicken salad and silky grilled salmon to roasted duck and braised rabbit.

With a long, cool season like 2019, we were able to ripen our pinot evenly and gently, allowing us the luxury of zeroing in on our perfect picking date. We harvested our first vineyards for this blend on September 10, and our last on October 1.

The fruit is hand sorted prior to destemming then gravity fed into small open top fermenters where the must is then cold-soaked for 5 days in order to gently extract spice and fruit characters while mitigating harsher tannins. We punch down up to 3 times daily, depending on the stage of the fermentation and the nature of the vineyard. Each vineyard block is fermented separately in order to maintain typicity and to provide us with the most flexibility for blending. Our Pinots generally spend 14 to 20 days on the skins, according to the need of each fermentation. After fermentation, the individual lots are pressed and then racked into French oak barrels to age. We carefully blend our favorite lots in early spring. The final blend rests in barrel six months, marrying flavors and gaining complexity, until we bottle in August with minimal processing.

Dutton Ranch farms over eighty unique vineyards located in the coolest areas of the Russian River Valley, primarily in the Green Valley sub-appellation. The Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir blend represents our vision for the character of this special region: juicy berry fruit in both the nose and the mouth, solid structure with fine tannins, and alluring balance. Bush, Campbell, Galante, Emerald Ridge, Silva, Hallberg, and Jentoft are all in the heart of Green Valley, and each contributes a unique variation of Green Valley fruit to heighten the complexity of the blend. Morelli Lane and Ruxton are high on Stoetz Ridge on the western edge of the Russian River Valley and offer a bit of warmer cherry fruit to the mix. Freestone is in the far southwestern corner of the appellation, and contributes its killer depth and spice to the base notes of the blend. All of these vineyards are Sonoma County Certified Sustainable.

Alcohol:  13.5% Ta: 6.0 g/L pH: 3.5 Barrel Aging:  10 months in French oak (40% new barrels) Winemaker:  Dan Goldfield

Tasting Notes

The nose of the 2018 Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir leads with succulent mixed berry pie laced with baking spices. The blueberry, raspberry, and boysenberry are interlaced with pretty lilac and violet notes, along with a little redwood duff. There’s a plush feeling to the wine, even from the aromas, which is confirmed in the mouth. It has that wonderful quality of richness without heaviness, with the sweet berry pie flavors rolling out on a layer of silk.

Savory notes of rhubarb, beet, and thyme back up the fruit, making this easy-pairing wine great with everything from warm chicken salad and silky grilled salmon to roasted duck and braised rabbit.

The fruit is hand sorted prior to destemming then gravity fed into small open top fermenters where the must is then cold-soaked for 5 days in order to gently extract spice and fruit characters, while mitigating harsher tannins. We punch down up to 3 times daily, depending on the stage of the fermentation and the nature of the vineyard. Each vineyard block is fermented separately in order to maintain typicity, and to provide us with the most flexibility for blending. Our Pinots generally spend 14 to 20 days on the skins, according to the need of each fermentation. After fermentation, the individual lots are pressed and then racked into French oak barrels to age. We carefully blend our favorite lots in early spring. The final blend rests in barrel six months, marrying flavors and gaining complexity, until we bottle in August with minimal processing.

Dutton Ranch farms over eighty unique vineyards located in the coolest areas of the Russian River Valley, primarily in the Green Valley sub-appellation. The Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir blend represents our vision for the character of this special region: juicy berry fruit in both the nose and the mouth, solid structure with fine tannins, and alluring balance. Bush, Campbell, Galante, Emerald Ridge, Silva, Hallberg, and Jentoft are all in the heart of Green Valley, and each contributes a unique variation of Green Valley fruit to heighten the complexity of the blend. Morelli Lane and Ruxton are high on Stoetz Ridge on the western edge of the Russian River Valley and offer a bit of warmer cherry fruit to the mix. Freestone is in the far southwestern corner of the appellation, and contributes its killer depth and spice to the base notes of the blend. All of these vineyards are Sonoma County Certified Sustainable.

Alcohol:  13.5% Ta: 5.9 g/L pH: 3.55 Barrel Aging:  10 months in French oak (40% new barrels) Winemaker:  Dan Goldfield

  • 20260117

    Gold

    Medal

    The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, January 2026

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  • 20251101

    93

    points

    Wine Enthusiast, November 2025

    "This energetic Pinot leads on the nose with aromas of salty black cherry, licorice and rose petals, while the palate delivers powder fine tannin, zippy acidity and flavors of macerated raspberry, shiitake and black tea that linger on and on."

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  • 20250807

    93

    points

    Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, August 2025

    "Matured for 10 months in 40% new French oak, the 2022 Pinot Noir Dutton Ranch bursts from the glass with inviting aromas of blackberry, cranberry, forest floor and Angostura bitters. The medium-bodied palate features concentrated, spice and earth-laced flavors. It’s structured by soft, dusty tannins and bright, juicy acidity, and it has a long, spicy finish. It’s bright, open and dangerously easy to drink!"

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  • 20250401

    92

    points

    Wine Enthusiast, April 2025

    "Pinot Noir displays vibrant aromas of crushed cherry, plum and cinnamon on the nose. The palate brings a wave of raspberry-lemon acidity with flavors of baked cherry pie, cola spice and cocoa pow[1]der, tapering to a long finish with a spicier, more earthy edge."

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  • 20250224

    90

    points

    Wine Spectator, February 2025

    "A plump red, offering punchy pomegranate and cherry fruit laced with a subtle mineral edge that harnesses the finish nicely. Drink now through 2027. 3,000 cases made."

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  • 20250224

    92

    points

    JamesSuckling.com, February 2025

    "A vivid, cherry-scented wine that's nicely complex and has the needed structure for a vivid mouthfeel. Red cherry, sour cherry, rhubarb and black tea flavors show pure pinot character on a medium body braced by moderate tannins. Drink now."

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  • 20231215

    92

    points

    Wine Spectator, December 2023

    "A textbook Russian River Valley Pinot, with a burst of pomegranate and black cherry fruit laced with blood orange, singed mesquite and savory tinges that ripple through the fresh finish. Drink now through 2030. 3,020 cases made."

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  • 20231001

    94

    points

    Wine Enthusiast, October 2023

    "This silky, fruity and refined wine shows great balance between generous red cherry, raspberry and dark plum flavors, and refreshing acidity and moderate tannins. It's poised to drink soon but OK to allow it to mature further. Best from 2025–2030."

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  • 2021-09-30

    92

    points

    Wine Spectator, September 2021

    "Fine-edged, with hints of tangerine to the cherry tart and plum paste flavors that are juicy and supported by rich acidity. The lively finish offers notes of cedar and spice, with hints of coffeeberry. Drink now through 2026. 2,965 cases made."

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  • 2021-02-01

    94

    points

    Wine Enthusiast, February 2021

    "From multiple certified-sustainable sites, including Campbell, Morelli Lane and Hallberg, this well-made wine is solid in crisp red-currant fruit and a dusting of dried herb. Rounded and balanced in richness, it offers a persistence of freshness and earthiness that compel."

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  • 2020-07-01

    93

    points

    Tasting Panel, July 2020

    "Rich ruby color, one of Sonoma’s most iconic vineyards, smooth, intense and deep with tangy acidity and lovely black cherry fruit; balanced and long."

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TRADE & MEDIA ASSETS /////////////////

International Women’s Day – Digital Toolkit

2023 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir – Gold Medal – SF Chronicle Wine Competition 2026 – Shelftalker

Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir – Accolade Sell Sheet

2023 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir – 93 points, Wine Enthusiast – Shelftalker

2023 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir – Tasting Note

2022 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir – 93 points, Wine Advocate – Shelftalker

2022 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir – 92 points, JamesSuckling.com – Shelftalker

2022 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir – 92 points, Wine Enthusiast – Shelftalker

2022 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir – 90 points, Wine Spectator – Shelfalker

Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir – Bottle – 2022 & After

2022 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir – Masters of Wine 2024 – Sell Sheet

2022 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir – Tasting Note

2021 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir – 94 points, Wine Enthusiast – Shelftalker

2021 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir – Tasting Note

2019 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir WS92 – Sales Sheet

2019 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir – Tasting Note

2018 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir – Tasting Note

Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir – Shelftalker

Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir Review History – Sales Sheet

Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir – Bottle – 2021 & Before

Dutton-Goldfield – Vineyard Photo

Dutton-Goldfield – Winery Photo

Dutton-Goldfield – Logo