Jonive Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, USA 2021

With the launch of Jonive, the Underwood family is writing the next chapter in their long history in the wine business. The Underwoods are the owners of Young’s Holdings, one of America’s oldest continuously operated family-owned businesses. Originally established as Young’s Market Company in 1888, and expanding over decades to grocery, soda bottling, meat, and seafood wholesale, and ultimately alcohol beverage wholesale, Young’s Holdings is now in its fifth generation of family leadership with a passion and focus on fine wine. The founding of Jonive marks an exciting evolution for the family, in establishing estate-grown wines of exceptional quality.

Jonive’s Moon Dust Vineyard is nested within the Sebastopol Hills in the coolest area of the Russian River Valley, home to rare and desirable Goldridge soils. First planted to vines in 1998, the vineyard consists of four pristine acres of Chardonnay, comprising two individual clones across two blocks. In 2007, the vineyard was expanded to comprise an additional 11 acres of Pinot Noir, planted to 6 distinct Pinot Noir clones. Jonive is a true reflection of vine maturity, organic farming, high-quality soil, and a world-class microclimate.

Tasting Notes

This wine has a brilliant Burgundy color with a deep brooding nose that explodes out of the glass with aromas of orange peel, shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, dried leaves, bay laurel and fall berries. The wine is a great balance between red and black fruit notes that saturate the palate with black tea, autumnal leaves, wood spice, dried citrus peel, and fennel. It is bright and fresh as well as deep and broad. This Pinot Noir is medium bodied combining silkiness with a nice grip of tannin, all with restrained alcohol that gives way to an amazingly complex and long finish that brings you back for another sip, another glass, and another bottle.