Chardonnay, Gary Farrell, Russian River Valley, CA, 2018

The story begins in the Russian River Valley, where Gary Farrell made his first wines on handshake deals with the growers in the region's pioneer growers - Rochioli, Allen, Hallberg - whose Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards captured a time and a place. Today, they maintain this approach to winemaking, starting in the vineyards of the Russian River AVA and beyond, with the same focus on pure varietal expression.

Gary Farrell Winemaker, Theresa Heredia, grape growers and other winemakers within the Russian River Valley have always recognized that certain regions of the valley produced distinctly different wines. Since the 2014 Vintage, they have been monitoring whether characteristics like aroma, texture and others can be attributed to specific sections of the Valley. This deep dive into Russian River Pinot Noir has become the Neighborhoods Initiative that is also a hallmark of their Single Vineyard winemaking, and their elevated Salon experiences.