Nestled along the picturesque Westside Road in the heart of Sonoma County’s renowned Russian River Valley, Bucher Vineyard has been crafting excellence since its founding in 1997 by John Bucher. A UC Davis graduate with deep roots in Healdsburg, John initially returned to manage his family’s dairy farm but soon set his sights on an additional passion: growing premium wine grapes.
Over the years, Bucher Vineyard has flourished, with additional plantings in 1998, 1999, 2006, 2008, and 2009. Today, this sustainably-farmed gem spans 38 acres, dedicated to cultivating some of the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes in the region—all from the home ranch.
2022 Vintage Notes
Our harvest season unfolded with a mix of normalcy and challenges, shaped by a cooler-than-usual growing year. April and May brought unusually low temperatures, which affected berry set and led to shatter, missing berries on the clusters. Combined with the ongoing effects of a three-year drought, it was clear that yields would be lower than average. The summer weather added its own dynamic. While June and August delivered occasional heat spikes, July provided steadier, moderate temperatures. Harvesting for our Pinot Noir began on August 15th and wrapped up just in time to avoid the intense heat wave that arrived around Labor Day.
2022 Bucher Pommard Clone Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
93 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting Notes
A complex nose sets the stage with high-toned red fruit, toasty oak and rustic earth notes that are mirrored on the palate. The entry reveals bright cherry, cranberry, pomegranate and hibiscus laced with creamy red licorice. Hints of huckleberry, violet, blood orange and spices mingle with graceful, yet lively tannins and a gentle oak essence, enhancing the wine’s depth and complexity. Delicious now, this elegant Pinot will further develop with additional bottle aging.
Cooperage: 20% new French oak barrels;, 80% 1-3-year-old oak barrels
Bottling Date: July 26, 2023
Alcohol: 13.8%
pH: 3.55
T.A.: 0.54g/100ml
Release Date: August 2024
Production: 148 cases
2022 Bucher Opa’s Block Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
93 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting Notes
Alluring aromatics of bright red fruit — cherry, currant and plum — mingle with notes of loamy earth and hints of eucalyptus and licorice. The plush entry and mouthfeel are balanced by lively acidity and a well-integrated oak structure. A mouthwatering mix of black cherry, cola and vanilla satiates the palate, while a blend of spices appears near the finish, fusing with the delicious, complex flavors as they linger. It’s tempting to drink this luscious Pinot now, so go right ahead, but hold back a few bottles, as this beauty with develop further with additional bottle aging.
Specs
Composition 100% Pinot Noir
Appellation: Russian River Valley
Vineyard Designation: Bucher Vineyard
Block / Clone: Opa’s Block / Dijon 943
Harvest Date: August 18, 2022
Barrel Aging: 10 months in French oak
Cooperage: François Frères and Boutes French oak barrels; 33% new, 67% 1-2 year-old
Bottling Date: July 26, 2023
Alcohol: 13.4%
pH: 3.60
T.A.: 0.66g/100ml
Release Date: March 2025
Production: 68 cases
2022 Bucher Three Sixty Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting Notes
A striking nose offers aromas of red and black fruit layered with toasty oak, red licorice and traces of sweet tobacco and dusty earth. Rich, dark flavors envelope the palate with the delicious essence of vine-ripened Bing cherry and Damson plum laced with hints of mulberry, blood orange, cigar box and floral notes. Balanced acidity and lithe tannins frame the complex flavors, creating a sophisticated, elegant wine. A pleasure to sip now, this Pinot will continue to evolve into an exquisite beauty with a few more years of bottle aging.
After graduating from UC Davis in 1984, John Bucher returned to Healdsburg to manage the family dairy operation, Bucher Farms, eventually transitioning the herd to an organic dairy farm. John continued on his parent’s path of growing the dairy herd, while also looking for opportunities to diversify to higher-value crops to stay economically sustainable.
In 1997, after two years of researching wine grape varietals, analyzing soils, and talking to neighboring grape growers, John planted the first Bucher Vineyard Pinot Noir blocks for Bucher Farms. Additional plantings of Pinot Noir and eventually Chardonnay followed in 1998, 1999, 2006, 2008, and 2009. Today, Bucher Vineyard Pinot Noir grapes are sold by Bucher Farms to several notable Sonoma County wineries, including Williams Selyem, Papapietro Perry, Joseph Jewell, Dutcher Crossing, and others.
Today the 700-cow organic dairy is the mainstay of the ranch, while the vineyard acreage has grown. Today, Bucher Vineyard consists of 38 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes on 15 distinct blocks farmed by John for Bucher Farms. The organic practices used on the farm and dairy carry over into the vineyard, where John uses sustainable viticulture practices.
With the 2011 harvest, John and his wife Diane, along with help from their children, crushed their first grapes for Bucher Wines. As a working dairy, farm, and vineyard, it is truly a family affair. Their children Elizabeth, Hannah, Jack, and Tony Klisura are the third generation of Buchers to work on this family farm.
In 2013, when the first vintage of Bucher Wines was ready for release, Diane Kircher Bucher left behind her career in textile sales to work full time for the winery. Wearing too many hats to list, Diane keeps things moving. Her primary goal is to connect with as many folks as possible, getting them to taste the Bucher Vineyard wines. She is often found pouring wine for restaurateurs, retailers, and public events where anyone with a ticket can try their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
With a lengthy farming tradition and history, the John and Diane Bucher Family look forward to sharing their grape growing and winemaking experiences with you for many years and generations to come.
Available States
AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
A bottle of 2022 J. Bucher Pinot Noir “Three Sixty” from the Russian River Valley showed up, so it was time to get a glass poured and see what it had to offer.
Pop n pour:
In the glass, this one shows a deeper color than you might expect from a lighter-skinned varietal like Pinot. It’s a dark ruby red with good clarity, hinting at a slightly more robust style.
Nose:
The aromatics are somewhat muted at first, showing a dusty, leathery character with darker fruit in the background.
First sip:
On the palate, strawberry, dark cherry and raspberry lead the way, along with other dark fruits. There’s also a slight rubber note that adds a bit of edge to the fruit. It drinks dry, with a clean, focused profile. There isn’t as much of that classic “cherry cola” note some Pinots show, but it still reads clearly as Pinot—just in a different expression.
This drinks more like a fuller-bodied Pinot. The mouthfeel is round and substantial, with nice tannin structure and balanced acidity that keeps everything in check.
Overall, this is a darker, weightier take on Pinot Noir that still keeps its varietal character. An excellent choice for someone who enjoys Pinot but wants something with a little more depth and structure in the glass. Quite enjoyable.
Happy i could share my take with you all.
-timnath
2022 J. Bucher Pinot Noir, Pommard Clone, Bucher Vineyard, Russian River Valley
13.8% alc, 148 cases
Always a pleasure to get an email from Terry telling me a bottle is on the way! Even better when it’s a house favourite variety: Pinot Noir.
My mom is visiting so we get three rats for the price of one!
Initial impressions right on pop-and-pour:
The wine is obviously young, bright limpid red-purple, and a bit reticent on the nose aside from a surprisingly obvious cinnamon aroma. A few minutes of swirling doesn’t really change much, aside from maybe revealing a touch of mint and maybe a hint of wild strawberry. I’m looking for cola notes given it’s a RRV Pinot, but not getting any. Initial sips, though, are bursting with cherries and strawberries - was not expecting that! Finish is nondescript herbs. No obvious earth or mushroom. A touch of alcohol on the finish as well.
molarchae: seems like a characteristic Pinot, red fruit, easy to drink, no offensive (to her) tannins.
Mom: looks like wine, smells like wine, tastes like wine. Not really liking it because of a flavour that disagrees with her. Unfortunately she can’t put a name to it. She did enjoy the cherry.
After a few minutes more in the glass, the fruit is coming out on the nose. And wow, what fruit! A great mix of cherries and wild strawberries are now dominant and I can’t quite get the cinnamon any more. A few minutes later and the fruit is more ripe and sweet. I haven’t had a wine change this quickly in a long time. Super tasty and interesting.
As this continued to open over about 3 hours, the oak became more apparent, especially on the finish. The round fruit is still there, but there’s a touch of harshness from the emerging tannin and oak. The aromas are gaining a bit in complexity also, and I’m starting to get a touch of mushroom, which I enjoy in a Pinot.
Overall, I’m enjoying this wine although I wish it had less new oak. You can drink this now and I suspect it’ll evolve for the better for 3-5 years. This doesn’t strike me as a 15-year wine. Good value at $25, maybe great given what they charge for RRV Pinot these days.
Very happy to get a chance to Rat again! This came well in advance so I got a chance to try it over a couple of days. I put it in my wine fridge as soon as I got it home, then I set it out for about 20 minutes to let it come up to temp. It was a pretty chilly day so it was still a bit chilled when I finally got to drinking it. Looks: Very pretty jewel-toned purple. The first sniffs gave me some cherry cola with other berry-type smells and some dusty library. The taste was pretty fruit forward at first with a slight licorice taste and some muskiness (in a good way). But, as it warmed up it really finished with a lot more smoke on the back end. It was medium dry with light tannins and some residual sugar that helped it go down smoothly and did not overpower the rest of the flavors. I had this with a little charcuterie that included prosciutto and goat cheese with roasted red peppers. I think the herbed goat cheese over powered it a little bit, but it did help bring out the herbaceousness of the cheese which was very nice. Second day was just as good and drinking it without food was just as enjoyable. I think this is a great pinot noir to just drink on its own or with a nice snack. I would not have this with a big meal because it might get a little lost. I could see myself taking this to a friend’s house and people really enjoying this one. I didn’t do that, though, I chose to be selfish!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Bucher Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs - $80 = 21.05%
Various renditions of these have been popping up on a few sites these days, including here. The '22 Bucher Vineyard RRV was offered here in Sept for $200/box…who cares right?
jeb dunnuck dot com on the Three Sixty:
94 points. A wine that can be sourced from anywhere in Bucher’s 360 acres of vineyards, the 2022 Pinot Noir Three Sixty has a sweeter perfume with ripe purity in its notes of kirsch, leather, cigar box, and tobacco. Medium-bodied on the palate, it has very nice, mouthwatering acidity and ripe tannins. It’s going to benefit from another year or so in bottle. Drink 2025-2040. Audrey Frick 6/7/24
dunnuck dot, the Pommard:
93 points. The 2022 Pinot Noir Pommard Clone is more ruby red in color compared to the Bucher and has a higher toned personality. Bright with red cherries, it’s spicy and expressive on the nose, with notes of incense and toast. Medium-bodied, it offers fine tannins, a chalky texture, and a weightless feel, with iron mineral notes through the palate. It is gravelly and ripe but very well done. Drink 2024-2034. Audrey Frick 6/7/24
dunnuck, the Opa’s:
93 points. A dark red color, the 2022 Pinot Noir Opa’s Block has classic charm on the nose, with notes of cola, black cherries, spice, pepper, and toast. Medium to full-bodied, it has a ripe feel and a plush texture, with notes of turned soil on the finish. Drink 2025-2034. Audrey Frick 6/7/24
Bucher Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs
The Vineyard
2022 Vintage Notes
2022 Bucher Pommard Clone Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
93 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting Notes
Specs
2022 Bucher Opa’s Block Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
93 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting Notes
Specs
2022 Bucher Three Sixty Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$878.00/Case for 4x 2022 Bucher Pommard Clone Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, 4x - 2022 Bucher Opa’s Block Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, 4x - 2022 Bucher Three Sixty Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
About The Winery
Available States
AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Thursday, Mar 5 - Monday, Mar 9
Bucher Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs
3 bottles for $94.99 $31.66/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $299.99 $25/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2022 Bucher Pommard Clone Pinot Noir
2022 Bucher Opa’s Block Pinot Noir
2022 Bucher Three Sixty Pinot Noir
Hey there, Casemates!
A bottle of 2022 J. Bucher Pinot Noir “Three Sixty” from the Russian River Valley showed up, so it was time to get a glass poured and see what it had to offer.
Pop n pour:
In the glass, this one shows a deeper color than you might expect from a lighter-skinned varietal like Pinot. It’s a dark ruby red with good clarity, hinting at a slightly more robust style.
Nose:
The aromatics are somewhat muted at first, showing a dusty, leathery character with darker fruit in the background.
First sip:
On the palate, strawberry, dark cherry and raspberry lead the way, along with other dark fruits. There’s also a slight rubber note that adds a bit of edge to the fruit. It drinks dry, with a clean, focused profile. There isn’t as much of that classic “cherry cola” note some Pinots show, but it still reads clearly as Pinot—just in a different expression.
This drinks more like a fuller-bodied Pinot. The mouthfeel is round and substantial, with nice tannin structure and balanced acidity that keeps everything in check.
Overall, this is a darker, weightier take on Pinot Noir that still keeps its varietal character. An excellent choice for someone who enjoys Pinot but wants something with a little more depth and structure in the glass. Quite enjoyable.
Happy i could share my take with you all.
-timnath
@timnath Which one? I got the Pommard.
@klezman The bottle I received is the Three Sixty. Edited my post to clarify!
2022 J. Bucher Pinot Noir, Pommard Clone, Bucher Vineyard, Russian River Valley
13.8% alc, 148 cases
Always a pleasure to get an email from Terry telling me a bottle is on the way! Even better when it’s a house favourite variety: Pinot Noir.
My mom is visiting so we get three rats for the price of one!
Initial impressions right on pop-and-pour:
The wine is obviously young, bright limpid red-purple, and a bit reticent on the nose aside from a surprisingly obvious cinnamon aroma. A few minutes of swirling doesn’t really change much, aside from maybe revealing a touch of mint and maybe a hint of wild strawberry. I’m looking for cola notes given it’s a RRV Pinot, but not getting any. Initial sips, though, are bursting with cherries and strawberries - was not expecting that! Finish is nondescript herbs. No obvious earth or mushroom. A touch of alcohol on the finish as well.
molarchae: seems like a characteristic Pinot, red fruit, easy to drink, no offensive (to her) tannins.
Mom: looks like wine, smells like wine, tastes like wine. Not really liking it because of a flavour that disagrees with her. Unfortunately she can’t put a name to it. She did enjoy the cherry.
After a few minutes more in the glass, the fruit is coming out on the nose. And wow, what fruit! A great mix of cherries and wild strawberries are now dominant and I can’t quite get the cinnamon any more. A few minutes later and the fruit is more ripe and sweet. I haven’t had a wine change this quickly in a long time. Super tasty and interesting.
As this continued to open over about 3 hours, the oak became more apparent, especially on the finish. The round fruit is still there, but there’s a touch of harshness from the emerging tannin and oak. The aromas are gaining a bit in complexity also, and I’m starting to get a touch of mushroom, which I enjoy in a Pinot.
Overall, I’m enjoying this wine although I wish it had less new oak. You can drink this now and I suspect it’ll evolve for the better for 3-5 years. This doesn’t strike me as a 15-year wine. Good value at $25, maybe great given what they charge for RRV Pinot these days.
2022 J. Bucher Pinot Noir “Opa’s Block”
Very happy to get a chance to Rat again! This came well in advance so I got a chance to try it over a couple of days. I put it in my wine fridge as soon as I got it home, then I set it out for about 20 minutes to let it come up to temp. It was a pretty chilly day so it was still a bit chilled when I finally got to drinking it. Looks: Very pretty jewel-toned purple. The first sniffs gave me some cherry cola with other berry-type smells and some dusty library. The taste was pretty fruit forward at first with a slight licorice taste and some muskiness (in a good way). But, as it warmed up it really finished with a lot more smoke on the back end. It was medium dry with light tannins and some residual sugar that helped it go down smoothly and did not overpower the rest of the flavors. I had this with a little charcuterie that included prosciutto and goat cheese with roasted red peppers. I think the herbed goat cheese over powered it a little bit, but it did help bring out the herbaceousness of the cheese which was very nice. Second day was just as good and drinking it without food was just as enjoyable. I think this is a great pinot noir to just drink on its own or with a nice snack. I would not have this with a big meal because it might get a little lost. I could see myself taking this to a friend’s house and people really enjoying this one. I didn’t do that, though, I chose to be selfish!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Bucher Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs - $80 = 21.05%
Various renditions of these have been popping up on a few sites these days, including here. The '22 Bucher Vineyard RRV was offered here in Sept for $200/box…who cares right?
jeb dunnuck dot com on the Three Sixty:
94 points. A wine that can be sourced from anywhere in Bucher’s 360 acres of vineyards, the 2022 Pinot Noir Three Sixty has a sweeter perfume with ripe purity in its notes of kirsch, leather, cigar box, and tobacco. Medium-bodied on the palate, it has very nice, mouthwatering acidity and ripe tannins. It’s going to benefit from another year or so in bottle. Drink 2025-2040. Audrey Frick 6/7/24
dunnuck dot, the Pommard:
93 points. The 2022 Pinot Noir Pommard Clone is more ruby red in color compared to the Bucher and has a higher toned personality. Bright with red cherries, it’s spicy and expressive on the nose, with notes of incense and toast. Medium-bodied, it offers fine tannins, a chalky texture, and a weightless feel, with iron mineral notes through the palate. It is gravelly and ripe but very well done. Drink 2024-2034. Audrey Frick 6/7/24
dunnuck, the Opa’s:
93 points. A dark red color, the 2022 Pinot Noir Opa’s Block has classic charm on the nose, with notes of cola, black cherries, spice, pepper, and toast. Medium to full-bodied, it has a ripe feel and a plush texture, with notes of turned soil on the finish. Drink 2025-2034. Audrey Frick 6/7/24
fwiw
