2021 ACTA Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 750 ml

At the tail end of the pandemic, when wineries left and right were closing up shop, Dustin Gillmore decided to swim against the current: The time was right to finally pursue his own dream project.

He’d spent the better part of a decade at the iconic ZD Wines in Napa Valley before striking out on his own—and when he did, he called Joe Nielsen, the Wine Spectator–featured winemaker at Ram’s Gate, one of Sonoma’s most respected names in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The two of them got to work.

The result is ACTA, a small family winery that has created a buzzy following among our friends in the industry—and seems poised to break out into the wider consciousness, big-time. Dustin and Joe have impeccable credentials and outstanding connections, and more than a little luck: This debut vintage was one of the greatest Pinot Noir years in Sonoma history.

Wine Spectator awarded the vintage 96 points, and doesn’t think there’s been a better Pinot year in California history. Drought conditions across Sonoma County pushed yields down and concentration up—small clusters, intense fruit, the kind of raw material that rewards producers who know what to do with it.

ACTA’s cuvée was built from two Russian River sites with distinct personalities. The dominant component, roughly three-quarters of the blend, comes from a cooler pocket near Sebastopol: pure and dense, with Bing cherry and red currant at its core and real mid-palate weight that speaks to the vintage’s natural concentration. The balance comes from older dry-farmed vines near Graton in the Green Valley subzone—the foggy, windswept corner of Russian River that delivers baking spice and forest floor, the notes that give a great Pinot its intrigue and keep it from being simply pretty.

In the glass, look for red florals and bright Bing cherry on the nose, with kola nut and a hint of spice underneath. The palate layers red and black fruit over silky tannin, with a lift of fresh acidity running through to a clean, lasting finish. This is restrained, purposeful winemaking—the kind that comes from people who have spent careers understanding what Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is capable of.