2023 Synthesis Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 750 ml

While many of Martin Ray’s wines come from trusted connections, their own estate vineyard is tiny… and ideally situated: It’s just a few hundred feet from the Vine Hill site where Kistler has produced 97-point wines that run for $180 per bottle. It’s also less than a mile from the intersection of River and Trenton roads—ground zero for Sonoma Pinot, where the historic Joseph Swan estate has been minting coveted releases for over 50 years.

That should give you an idea of what Pinot Noir from around here costs. Martin Ray’s bottling—scented with ripe cherries, pomegranate, spice, and cola—is normally $50, but we’ve got it for barely half that today. Hitting the bullseye for Russian River Valley style and peerless California value, critic James Suckling said it best: “It has all you need.”

A pioneer of California viticulture alongside legends like Don Chappellet and Robert Mondavi, Martin Ray was motivated by a desire to craft Burgundy-style wines that would rival the best of Europe. That mission continues today at the winery, which leverages long-term relationships to keep costs at record lows, and keep bottles like this one in the hands of savvy Pinot lovers.

Those making Russian River Valley Pinot pilgrimages would find a visit to Martin Ray’s Estate Vineyard enlightening, not just thirst-inducing. You can feel the moisture in the air, with the brisk marine influence sweeping up from the south through the Petaluma Gap. A blanket of fog hugs the ground in the mornings even in the summer, contributing to a diurnal temperature variation of around 35 degrees.

Those conditions contribute to the fascinating complexity of this Synthesis bottling, which shows why Russian River will always be a prime source for top Pinot.