The 2021 is the second vintage of Rondure. The year was another dry one, resulting in a much richer wine than the 2019. The Capas Technique brings out the best in this amazing vineyard, highlighting its bright flavors and intricate complexities.
This is a complete wine, offering a full sensory experience that lingers and evolves with each sip. It captures not only the essence of the Russian River Valley’s terroir, but also the unique complexity that results from our layered winemaking process. This wine is a true gem for Pinot Noir enthusiasts. Delicate and enchanting, the nose on this Russian River Valley Pinot Noir offers an array of floral notes. Lilac and iris bloom gracefully, evoking a garden in full spring. Aromas of strawberries and raspberries appear fresh and vibrant. A subtle hint of salt water adds a coastal nuance, inviting you to explore further. On the palate, the wine displays a captivating interplay of flavors. The tartness of rhubarb dances with the sweet succulence of ripe strawberries, creating a harmonious blend of red fruit sensations.
Vintage
The last of the drought years resulted in lower than average yields. The season’s modest yields, mild summer, and extended, rainless ripening period created ideal conditions for fruit development. Though the yields were only about half of what they were in 2019, the fruit was that much more concentrated and expressive.
We’d be remiss not to mention that this vintage was still during the height of the pandemic. Masks were required, teams were smaller and the threat of another lockdown in our area loomed. Yet through it all, the grapes (and we) prevailed.
Specs
Clone: Pomard & Swan
Alcohol: 14.1%
pH: 3:48
TA: 6.0
Production: 2 Barrels (Puncheons) = 100 Cases
Bottled: July 2023
Released: February 2024
2021 Rondure Pinot Noir, Sangiacomo Roberts Road Vineyard, Petaluma Gap
Tasting Notes
This Pinot Noir offers a high-tone fruit profile that flows down onto a subtle underpinning of savory mushroom, creating a delightful interplay of flavors. The nose unfolds with layers of fragrances. Rose petal notes gently lead the way, followed by the bright and inviting aroma of ripe raspberries. Hints of bay leaf and subtle pencil shavings add an intriguing herbal and mineral aspect. Take a sip, and the smooth tannins coat your mouth with a luxuriously velvet texture. Roasted herbs emerge, infusing the wine with a savory richness that resonates with the nose. The black plum and cranberry flavors provide a vibrant and juicy fruitiness that balances the savory elements, with a subtle hint of mushroom and forest floor after rain.
The Sangiacomo family has been farming in Sonoma County since the late 1920s and planted their first vineyard about 40 years later. Roberts Road Vineyard boasts some of the family’s most esteemed grapes, with the resulting wines exuding elegance characterized by their opulent yet delicate nature and velvety, supple mouthfeel.
The growing season is long, slow, and even – the perfect combination for high-quality, balanced grapes. Morning fog lingers until mid-day, ensuring optimal ripening conditions. This is consistently one of the last vineyards in the area to be harvested.
Located north of Copeland Creek, the vineyard has well-drained, gravel-enriched soil and two distinct watersheds: one flowing south to San Pablo Bay and the other north to the Russian River.
Originally planted in 1999 with select Chardonnay and Pinot Noir clones, Roberts Road Vineyard now hosts an array of fourteen different clone and rootstock combinations of these Burgundian grapes. More than twenty distinguished wineries source grapes from this vineyard, yielding over a dozen vineyard-designated wines, each a testament to the exceptional character and terroir of this remarkable site.
Specs
Clone: Pommard & Swan
Alcohol: 14.0%
pH: 3.59
TA: 5.5 g/l
Production: 2 Barrels (Puncheons), 100 Cases
Bottled: July 2023
Release: February 2024
Capas Method
As with all Rondure wines, these wines were produced via the capas method, an ancient style of winemaking that layers in different ripeness of fruit into the ferment over an extended time.
The first round of grapes were picked around 22 Brix (about 13% alcohol). and-picked at night and delivered to the winery at sunrise, the fruit passed across the sorting table and was destemmed immediately. 10% of the fruit was added whole-cluster, which provides a bit of extra tannin and helps provide the structure the wine will need for aging. The resulting must went into some large neutral oak puncheons (500 L/132 gal) with their lids removed. Each vessel was filled ⅓ full. I love fermenting in puncheons, as it builds complexity in the wine.
Fermenting in oak barrels allows for the seamless integration of oak tannin. The must sits for 7 days as the native yeast multiplies and eventually starts fermenting the must.
A second pick was made, 7 days later, when the grapes were at approximately 24 Brix (14% alcohol). Half the fruit was destemmed and allowed to sit while the other half of the lot was added to the barrels that were already actively fermenting at about 90F. Like the first round, 10% of that fruit was left whole-cluster. Adding the fresh fruit naturally cooled the ferment and diluted the yeast population, extending the fermentation time. This additional time contributes to mid-palate richness in the wine.
After another three days, when the fermentation temperature again approached 90°F, the final third of the fruit was added, resulting in the same lowering and slowing of temperature and fermentation.
The capas process results in a ferment that takes nearly twice as long as a regular ferment.
Post fermentation, the wine was pressed into the tank while the lids were reinstalled on the puncheons. The wine was then returned to the puncheons and aged for 6 months, in 50% new French oak and 50% neutral French oak. Larger puncheons have less surface area relative to the volume of wine they contain compared to smaller barrels. This means wines in puncheons are exposed to less oxygen through the wood, leading to a slower and more gradual aging process. Wines aged in puncheons take on more delicate oak undertones and often have a longer aging potential due to the more gradual and controlled evolution.
After puncheon aging, the wine was racked from barrel to small concrete tank, where it sat for a further 6 months. Concrete tanks are largely inert, meaning they don’t impart significant flavors or aromas to the wine. This final stage of aging in concrete allows the wine to “harmonize” prior to bottling. I can’t explain why it works, but it definitely helps the wine calm down a little. Concrete also contributes to the development of a soft and silky texture, which is particularly beneficial for wines intended to age gracefully with refined tannins.
The wine was bottled unfiltered and rested in the bottle for 6 months prior to release. It will last and improve, for as long as your patience will allow.
What’s Included
4-bottles:
2x 2021 Rondure Pinot Noir, Sangiacomo Roberts Road Vineyard, Petaluma Gap
2x 2021 Rondure Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley Case:
6x 2021 Rondure Pinot Noir, Sangiacomo Roberts Road Vineyard, Petaluma Gap
Rondure Wines are crafted meticulously to exhibit different layers over time, resulting in wines that are complex, layered, rounded and beautiful. They’re not just wines, but works of art that invite you to slow down and appreciate the little things, from the multitude of personality traits in one glass to expanded time and space with loved ones. Indulge in the nuances in each wine because great art is meant to be savored – and in doing so, you create memories to last a lifetime.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, 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
Let me start by saying this Pinot Noir is simply outstanding and an absolute “must-buy.” I’ll be stocking up myself.
Amidst a lovely summer evening on my back porch, I thought the moment couldn’t get any better… that is, until I opened this exceptional 2021 Rondure Pinot Noir made with Sangiacomo Roberts Road grapes. As a devoted fan of Sangiacomo, this wine continues to fuel my fangirl obsession, and for good reason.
Upon pop and pour, the wine revealed a soft, jammy nose with luscious notes of blackberry, raspberry, and plum. The rich, garnet color visible in the glass shows the boldness of the wine and a departure from your typical lighter-bodied Pinot Noir.
The first sip went down smoothly, though, initially there was a hint of sour cherry on the finish. However, this slight edge quickly mellowed after just two minutes of breathing. As the wine opened up, it became even more light and velvety on the tongue with minimal tannins and a luxuriously creamy texture, closing with an easy yet elegant finish.
From what I’ve described above, I’m sure you can already tell that this wine is excellent as a standalone sipper, but it also thrived alongside my pork chop dinner. As mentioned before the bold, fruit-forward profile creates a heavier style than most Pinot Noirs, making it versatile enough to stand up to richer dishes.
@queen_of_cali Hello your Highness, Jim Morris on behalf of Rondure Wines here. Thank you for the kind words and glowing review. As I live in Sonoma County and work in the wine industry, I have tasted 100s of pinots and this is one of the most interesting pinots I have tried. First of all, you cannot beat the Sangiacomo vineyard. There are not a lot of wineries with access to this fruit. It literally is in one of the most perfect places to grow pinot noir anywhere on the planet. And the unique “capas” style of winemaking is what sets this apart from others. There is an explanation of this process on their website or in this description. Thank you for purchasing our wines.
@rjquillin The owner of Rondure, Arthur O’Connor is my neighbor and knew that I helped introduce small wineries to sites like Casemates and asked me to help. I believe the closer to the consumer wineries can be, the better. This is a perfect platform for that.
I would be delighted to receive a badge. Do I need to wear it on my lapel? Or at Casemates Dance Parties?
@losthighwayz Personally, I did not pick up any new oak flavor when I enjoyed this over the weekend, though I’m not very sensitive to this. Jim may have some more notes on this.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Rondure Pinot Noirs - $60 = 24.99%
@Mark_L Hello Mark, Jim Morris on behalf of Rondure Wines here. We like to think of this as an investment in your wine journey and a great way to impress your friends with your great wine knowledge especially in little unknown brands. Thank you for letting us be part of your journey.
The Rondure Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2021 is a good deal at the $15 price point. However, I consider this more of a weekly table wine, rather than something for a special occasion. While not my preferred style of pinot noir, my husband and cousins, especially, really enjoyed it.
We tried this wine over three days and made shorthand notes and discussions.
Day 1: Just I tried it the first evening. Medium legs. Appeared very light in color, pretty standard for a pinot noir. Cherry colored with a burnt orange tinge, suprising for being young-ish. But good age for a pinot. It was very closed and honestly a little bitter. On the nose- floral, spice, cherry candy, earth (probably the oak). A bit of air and less acidic so was excited for day 2!
Day 2: For me, the wine opened a little but was pretty mild and almost singular in flavor and nose profile. Easy to drink but not exciting. However, my cousins RAVED about this wine. Here are their notes:
Cousin 1: Full, cherry, smooth, nice after taste. “I would drink by a fire.” They would pay $30 and think it’s price point is $65
Cousin 2: Plum, cherry, smokey, black currant, tart aftertaste with a pucker, oaked. Would pay $22 and think it’s probably around $28. Prefers not to spend a lot on wine.
Hubby: cherry cola, alcohol tang or acrid charcoal smoke, fermented fruit possibly peach, mint, clean with no grit.
Day 3 (just now): Nose has fully bloomed but also smells like it won’t be as good today. More floral. This fell flat in the mouth. Some acid. No layers. I would drink this day one over a couple of hours or day 2. I’ll try to add a couple of images below from day 1.
Overall, a great daily drinker and crowd pleaser and worth a purchase at this price, especially reading about the notes of the other bottle. Cheers!
@jchasma Hello Pinot lovers, Jim Morris on behalf of Rondure Wines here. Thank you for purchasing our wine and the kind words. As we like to say, you taste what you taste and everyone has a unique experience. In my humble opinion, there are only two wines, yummy and yucky. This is really on the yummy side.
@jchasma thanks for your review. What’s your preferred Pinot Noir style? Also, would you say it was an elegant style or more austere with rough edges? I prefer a lean and elegant Pinot that ms more on the feminine spectrum of the grape. Hope it makes sense thanks
@CruelMelody Hello Melody, Jim Morris on behalf of Rondure Wines here. Thank you so much for trying our wines. As for suggested pairings, I think you will enjoy this with a grilled walleye, perhaps some cheese curds, and a Jucy Lucy with hotdish. You betcha youre going to love this wine.
Great to see all the comments. These wines are drinking beautifully now and for several years to come. The way I make my wines means they come out tight and take a while to open up. But now after 2 years in bottle they jump out of the glass. It’s partly due to the Puncheon ageing and time in concrete.
@ArthurRondure
Welcome to Casemates and thanks for chiming in. Participation from the vinter is always appreciated.
When he gets a chance, @rjquillin should be able to get the ball rolling on getting you your grapes badge and vinter banner. That way the group knows your role with the winery.
Thanks for the welcome, good be able to join in. Profile wise these wines lean a little more Burgundian than Californian. Having spent 10 years living and making wine across Spain, I do love the textual side more than the big fruity style, which is why I embraced the Capas technique when I found it.
@ArthurRondure would you consider this a feminine or masculine Pinot? We typically prefer Santa Rita hills Pinot that have a lean and clean
. I hope this makes sense. Any stem inclusion? Finally, I’m not a big fan of new oak in general and prefer neutral oak. What was the thinking behind 50 percent new oak? Does it show up on the wine now? I feel oak masks the fruit thanks again
You and I are aligned. The reason I love fermenting in the opened barrels is to get a beautiful oak integration. How many Chardonnay producers do you know who ferment in tank then transfer to oak? Very few. They ferment in oak because the integration is so much better, the same is true with Pinot and all reds. Which very few producers do, as it is a lot of work to do all the hand punchdowns. It’s also why I select Puncheons (130gal) vs Barrique (59gal), a puncheon has a much lower surface area to wine ratio, so less oak influence.
My oak preference is for Dammy (structure) and Billon (accentuates fruit) two burgundy coopers which are very subtle.
So in answer to your question. Feminine. And note; I don’t want to harsh on the bigger muscly CA style, it’s a great style, just not my fav. I would probably roll Rhone than muscly Pinot… but it is what CA does well.
@dawnlac
I think you’re the third or fourth person that has reported this and it’s happening with multiple offers. Perhaps @winedavid49@winedavid59 or someone on the crew can look into the issue?
2021 Rondure Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
Tasting Notes
Vintage
Specs
2021 Rondure Pinot Noir, Sangiacomo Roberts Road Vineyard, Petaluma Gap
Tasting Notes
Specs
Capas Method
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$720.00/Case for 6x 2021 Rondure Pinot Noir, Sangiacomo Roberts Road Vineyard, Petaluma Gap + 6x 2021 Rondure Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley at Rondure Wines
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, 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
Monday, Sep 8 - Tuesday, Sep 9
Rondure Pinot Noirs
4 bottles for $79.99 $20/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $179.99 $15/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2021 Rondure Pinot Noir
2021 Rondure Pinot Noir, Sangiacomo Roberts Road Vineyard
Let me start by saying this Pinot Noir is simply outstanding and an absolute “must-buy.” I’ll be stocking up myself.
Amidst a lovely summer evening on my back porch, I thought the moment couldn’t get any better… that is, until I opened this exceptional 2021 Rondure Pinot Noir made with Sangiacomo Roberts Road grapes. As a devoted fan of Sangiacomo, this wine continues to fuel my fangirl obsession, and for good reason.
Upon pop and pour, the wine revealed a soft, jammy nose with luscious notes of blackberry, raspberry, and plum. The rich, garnet color visible in the glass shows the boldness of the wine and a departure from your typical lighter-bodied Pinot Noir.
The first sip went down smoothly, though, initially there was a hint of sour cherry on the finish. However, this slight edge quickly mellowed after just two minutes of breathing. As the wine opened up, it became even more light and velvety on the tongue with minimal tannins and a luxuriously creamy texture, closing with an easy yet elegant finish.
From what I’ve described above, I’m sure you can already tell that this wine is excellent as a standalone sipper, but it also thrived alongside my pork chop dinner. As mentioned before the bold, fruit-forward profile creates a heavier style than most Pinot Noirs, making it versatile enough to stand up to richer dishes.
Anyone want to split a case?!
Forgot the pic of the wine… the most important part!
@queen_of_cali Hello your Highness, Jim Morris on behalf of Rondure Wines here. Thank you for the kind words and glowing review. As I live in Sonoma County and work in the wine industry, I have tasted 100s of pinots and this is one of the most interesting pinots I have tried. First of all, you cannot beat the Sangiacomo vineyard. There are not a lot of wineries with access to this fruit. It literally is in one of the most perfect places to grow pinot noir anywhere on the planet. And the unique “capas” style of winemaking is what sets this apart from others. There is an explanation of this process on their website or in this description. Thank you for purchasing our wines.
@Sonomawineguy ‘On behalf of’ is rather vague…
Would you mind introducing yourself and position with Rondure for the 'mates here that may have some questions?
badge
And also so I can get you a
@rjquillin The owner of Rondure, Arthur O’Connor is my neighbor and knew that I helped introduce small wineries to sites like Casemates and asked me to help. I believe the closer to the consumer wineries can be, the better. This is a perfect platform for that.
I would be delighted to receive a badge. Do I need to wear it on my lapel? Or at Casemates Dance Parties?
@queen_of_cali I’m very sensitive to new oak. Cannot stand it tbh what are your thoughts on this? Thanks
@losthighwayz Personally, I did not pick up any new oak flavor when I enjoyed this over the weekend, though I’m not very sensitive to this. Jim may have some more notes on this.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Rondure Pinot Noirs - $60 = 24.99%
@Mark_L Hello Mark, Jim Morris on behalf of Rondure Wines here. We like to think of this as an investment in your wine journey and a great way to impress your friends with your great wine knowledge especially in little unknown brands. Thank you for letting us be part of your journey.
The Rondure Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2021 is a good deal at the $15 price point. However, I consider this more of a weekly table wine, rather than something for a special occasion. While not my preferred style of pinot noir, my husband and cousins, especially, really enjoyed it.
We tried this wine over three days and made shorthand notes and discussions.
Day 1: Just I tried it the first evening. Medium legs. Appeared very light in color, pretty standard for a pinot noir. Cherry colored with a burnt orange tinge, suprising for being young-ish. But good age for a pinot. It was very closed and honestly a little bitter. On the nose- floral, spice, cherry candy, earth (probably the oak). A bit of air and less acidic so was excited for day 2!
Day 2: For me, the wine opened a little but was pretty mild and almost singular in flavor and nose profile. Easy to drink but not exciting. However, my cousins RAVED about this wine. Here are their notes:
Cousin 1: Full, cherry, smooth, nice after taste. “I would drink by a fire.” They would pay $30 and think it’s price point is $65
Cousin 2: Plum, cherry, smokey, black currant, tart aftertaste with a pucker, oaked. Would pay $22 and think it’s probably around $28. Prefers not to spend a lot on wine.
Hubby: cherry cola, alcohol tang or acrid charcoal smoke, fermented fruit possibly peach, mint, clean with no grit.
Day 3 (just now): Nose has fully bloomed but also smells like it won’t be as good today. More floral. This fell flat in the mouth. Some acid. No layers. I would drink this day one over a couple of hours or day 2. I’ll try to add a couple of images below from day 1.
Overall, a great daily drinker and crowd pleaser and worth a purchase at this price, especially reading about the notes of the other bottle. Cheers!
@jchasma Hello Pinot lovers, Jim Morris on behalf of Rondure Wines here. Thank you for purchasing our wine and the kind words. As we like to say, you taste what you taste and everyone has a unique experience. In my humble opinion, there are only two wines, yummy and yucky. This is really on the yummy side.
@jchasma thanks for your review. What’s your preferred Pinot Noir style? Also, would you say it was an elegant style or more austere with rough edges? I prefer a lean and elegant Pinot that ms more on the feminine spectrum of the grape. Hope it makes sense thanks
@losthighwayz I hope you jumped in! I’d definitely call this feminine.
@Sonomawineguy Absolutely yummy!
This sounds great, I’ll be in for four unless anyone in MPLS wants to take 6 off my hands(I live in Kingfield)
@CruelMelody I’ll split with you.
@CruelMelody Hello Melody, Jim Morris on behalf of Rondure Wines here. Thank you so much for trying our wines. As for suggested pairings, I think you will enjoy this with a grilled walleye, perhaps some cheese curds, and a Jucy Lucy with hotdish. You betcha youre going to love this wine.
/giphy familiar-bubbly-warthog
Looking forward to this case purchase!
militant-cloying-screw
@fibercot Thank you Fibercot. We trust you will enjoy these wines with friends in the coming week. Crazy-maudlin-clamp
Thank you Fibercot. We trust you will enjoy these wines with friends in the coming week. Crazy-maudlin-clamp
@Sonomawineguy
Great to see all the comments. These wines are drinking beautifully now and for several years to come. The way I make my wines means they come out tight and take a while to open up. But now after 2 years in bottle they jump out of the glass. It’s partly due to the Puncheon ageing and time in concrete.
@ArthurRondure
Welcome to Casemates and thanks for chiming in. Participation from the vinter is always appreciated.
When he gets a chance, @rjquillin should be able to get the ball rolling on getting you your grapes badge and vinter banner. That way the group knows your role with the winery.
@ArthurRondure @kawichris650 Done!
Good to have the actual Vintner joining in…
Welcome Arthur!
Thanks for the welcome, good be able to join in. Profile wise these wines lean a little more Burgundian than Californian. Having spent 10 years living and making wine across Spain, I do love the textual side more than the big fruity style, which is why I embraced the Capas technique when I found it.
@ArthurRondure would you consider this a feminine or masculine Pinot? We typically prefer Santa Rita hills Pinot that have a lean and clean
. I hope this makes sense. Any stem inclusion? Finally, I’m not a big fan of new oak in general and prefer neutral oak. What was the thinking behind 50 percent new oak? Does it show up on the wine now? I feel oak masks the fruit thanks again
You and I are aligned. The reason I love fermenting in the opened barrels is to get a beautiful oak integration. How many Chardonnay producers do you know who ferment in tank then transfer to oak? Very few. They ferment in oak because the integration is so much better, the same is true with Pinot and all reds. Which very few producers do, as it is a lot of work to do all the hand punchdowns. It’s also why I select Puncheons (130gal) vs Barrique (59gal), a puncheon has a much lower surface area to wine ratio, so less oak influence.
My oak preference is for Dammy (structure) and Billon (accentuates fruit) two burgundy coopers which are very subtle.
So in answer to your question. Feminine. And note; I don’t want to harsh on the bigger muscly CA style, it’s a great style, just not my fav. I would probably roll Rhone than muscly Pinot… but it is what CA does well.
Oh and around 10% stem inclusion.
@ArthurRondure
Better joining in late than never.
Hope to see you with another offer where we can chat for a couple of days, not just hours
My wine arrived today despite no emails & showings “in process”…not complaining was just surprised when brown showed up
@dawnlac
I think you’re the third or fourth person that has reported this and it’s happening with multiple offers. Perhaps @winedavid49 @winedavid59 or someone on the crew can look into the issue?
@dawnlac @kawichris650 @Winedavid49 @Winedavid59
Too many times to count for me; sometimes close to two weeks.