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.
Summa Vineyard was first planted in 1979 by Steve Young on a beautiful ridge-top site on Taylor Lane west of the town of Occidental and six miles inland from the Pacific coastline in the West Sonoma Coast. Scott and Joan Zellar acquired the vineyard in 1982 and farmed it until Thomas Rivers Brown bought the Summa Vineyard in September 2010.
Ruby red in color. 13.6% ABV. Gorgeous nose of red fruits, cloves, baking spices and flowers. Medium body with exquisite acidity. Exceedingly elegant with lush, charming fruits. Cherry, cranberry, pomegranate and earth on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Extraordinary Pinot Noir from an iconic vineyard on the Sonoma Coast. Best over the next 2-3 years.
My rating: 96 points.
The 2024 version will be released early next year to members of the mailing list.
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.