Eloquent, age-worthy wines from the Sonoma Coast
Grace, verve, complexity - from the coolest parts of the Russian River Valley and the extreme Sonoma Coast, the Freemans craft a set of wines that are as intense as they are refined. Twenty years on since they established Freeman Winery near Sebastopol, Ken and Akiko Freeman are still guided by their founding belief: California can produce Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines that are as eloquent and age-worthy as those of Burgundy.
2017 saw an ideal growing season across the Freeman vineyards. After five years of relative drought, vines thrived on early season rainfall, then warm, dry weather kicked in from bud break through to harvest. A late season heatwave saw an early, accelerated harvest, but it worked out well; fruit quality was outstanding, with grapes full of bright acidity that has brought structure and lifting aromatics to the wines.
Gloria is the Freeman home vineyard, planted to heritage clones, and it tends to make the largest, most structured, longest-lived red in the range. Yu-Ki is another estate vineyard, both the highest and the nearest to the ocean; it is cooler and more lifted in style. Akiko's Cuvee is Akiko's personal blend across the range from the barrels she most likes in their cellar. The Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley bottlings are blends from fruit from growers in the region with whom the Freemans have close relationships and long-term contracts; they are often the reds in the range that show best when the wines are still young. And as well as their classic Ryo-fu Russian River Valley Chardonnay, for only the second time ever the Freemans have also released a single vineyard Chardonnay; the fruit in the Hawk Hill Vineyard was so good this year they decided to bottle it apart.
To help you get to grips with the Freeman range, we have put together a mixed case including 6 different wines for only £240 including delivery, saving £43.70. /NT
Offered subject to remaining unsold
