Thomas Rivers Brown and his wife Genevieve Marie Welsh have quickly made Rivers-Marie one of California’s most sought after Pinot Noir labels. The winery was founded in 2002 and the first release was the Rivers-Marie Summa Vineyard Pinot Noir. In addition to the line up of Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs, Rivers-Marie also makes a several single vineyard Cabernets and Chardonnay. Thomas is in high demand and serves as a consultant for a number of wineries including Schrader and Outpost.
Rivers-Marie began sourcing fruit from Bearwallow Vineyard, which is situated at the “deep end” of Anderson Valley, in 2016.
Crimson in color. 13.% ABV. Savory nose of red fruits, rose petals, citrus and earth. Medium body with exquisite acidity. Rich, earthy and elegant. Cherry, cranberry, pomegranate and blood orange on the palate. The finish is long and seamless. Charming Pinot Noir that showcases the best characteristics of Pinot Noir from the Anderson Valley. Drink over the next 2-3 years.
My rating: 93 points.
The 2023 version of this wine will be released early next year.
I have been on the Rivers-Marie mailing list for well over 15 years. For me the Pinot Noir was always the main attraction here but the Cabernet and Chardonnay programs are really second to none when you factor in price and quality. Rivers-Marie wines are only available via their mailing list. Sign up for the mailing list if you have not done so already.
I’ve blogged about Rivers-Marie recently in A Visit to Rivers-Marie.