Sonoma's Freeman Vineyard & Winery

by Darryl Beeson

Ken Freeman became smitten with wine not by walking through rows of vines, but by walking through high-end rows of retail wine. He has, now, an excellent palate. He has done his homework on the agricultural part. Little did he know that one day his own handcrafted Freeman wines would claim a select display in the same elite shop that he first strolled.

Freeman Vineyard & Winery sources grapes from some of the Sonoma Coast’s finest vineyards, "and our version of the 2006 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is the perfect example of how great those farmers are," observes Freeman.  All three of the sites...are true expressions of the cool Sonoma Coast appellation."

William and Renée Rayhill’s 8 acre vineyard on Falstaff Road was planted in 2000 and Freeman says that he started receiving all of their fruit in 2004.  "Whether the vintage is a hot, early one like 2004, or a long, cool one like 2005 and 2006, we are almost guaranteed that the Rayhill Pinot will be harvested in early to late October.  The site is on top of a windy hill with a 360 degree view around western Sonoma County.  Those cooling winds not only keep the fruit on the vine longer."

Just down the road from Rayhill is Jim Pratt’s Sexton Road property.  Freeman chose to start with Pratt's two select clones of Pinot Noir at Pratt, being a Swiss clone, and Pommard, a French clone.

High above the town of Occidental is Leonard and Geri Guidici’s vineyard, and this makes up the final part of the 2006 Sonoma Coast Pinot.  Freeman observes that the vineyard is "expertly farmed by Charlie Chenoweth, this is the most secluded and peaceful Pinot site...and 2006 was our first significant harvest with almost 10 tons picked."

The 2006 Freeman Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($41) displays dark fruit such as blackberry and exotic spice notes. "There are plenty of chewy tannins which surround a mouthful of rich fruit and a long finish, and we predict this will be drinking well from late 2008 through 2015." boasts Freeman.

Freeman's only vineyard-designated Pinot Noir is the Keefer ($46) from Marcy Keefer's ranch located in the Russian River Valley, on Green Valley School Road.  The Russian River Valley is a broad appellation in Sonoma County with quite a few areas of different microclimates.  It is warm enough in the northern part for grapes like Zinfandel and Cabernet, but in the southern and western parts, the Russian River Valley is much cooler, and is perfectly suited for Pinot Noir. 

2006 was a challenging year in many respects for Sonoma County Pinot Noir and Chardonnay growers.  There were heat spikes in June and July mixed with cool, foggy weather. There was constant work in the vineyard all summer and severe selections at harvest time.  Their work is very much apparent in the quality of their fruit. "The common thread to the nose has been the rose petal aromas of the Clone 23," notes Freeman. " Another feature we’ve found in all the Keefers we’ve produced is a racy acidity on the palate, and the 2006 Freeman Keefer Ranch is no exception.  The things that stand out in the 2006 Keefer are the higher than normal tannin levels balanced by an abundance of ripe, chewy fruit."

The 2006 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir($41) is Freeman's third vintage using this appellation.  "We came up with this blend to show off the ripeness and richness of the Russian River Valley, which surrounds the Freeman winery west of Sebastopol. A few Keefer barrels went into the mix of the Russian River Pinot in 2006, but most of them went into the 2006 Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir," reveals Freeman.  "Similar to 2005, the 2006 Freeman Russian River Valley Pinot Noir will be the most approachable Pinot in our line up.  The nose is shy at first, but opens up to reveal interesting scents of pomegranates and earth.  The palate is lush with plum flavors, round tannins and fairly low acidity." 

Learn more at www.freemanwinery.com

Darryl Beeson travels the wine world, looking for great finds and great values. He teaches sommellier certification for both professionals and serious consumers. Learn more at www.internationalsommelier.com.