Failla Olivet Ranch Pinot Noir / 2020 / 750mL

The Failla Olivet Ranch Pinot Noir 2020 is a perfumed, medium-bodied Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, California. Grown on the valley floor where cool morning fog slows ripening, it leans towards red fruit and savoury detail rather than sweetness or weight.

Aromatically it opens on raspberry and fresh cranberry, with dried rose petal, orange rind and a faint turn of black tea and forest floor. The palate follows the same line: tart red cherry and pomegranate up front, then a more earthy, mushroomy middle that gives the wine its Russian River Valley character. There is a light sappy note through the finish, the sort of green-stem lift that keeps Pinot Noir from tasting confected.

Tannins are fine and powdery, more a texture than a grip, and the acidity runs bright and clean from the first sip. Medium in body with a silky mouthfeel, the Failla Olivet Ranch Pinot Noir finishes long and dry, the fruit fading into something more savoury and mineral.

Serve at 14 to 16 degrees, ideally with half an hour in the decanter. It suits duck breast, roast quail, mushroom risotto or a plate of charcuterie. Drinking well now and through to around 2030.