Another Russian River Valley release, the 768-case 2014 Pinot Noir Giusti Vineyard comes from river rock-laced soils that include lots of iron oxide. Almost completely destemmed, it was aged 16% in concrete and 32% in new French oak. This full-bodied, rich, unctuous and big boned beauty knocks it out of the park with its plum, violets, blackberry and ground herb-like aromas and flavors. It´s not for those craving lightweight aromas and flavors, but is perfectly balanced, has ripe tannin, and a big mid-palate, all suggesting it will evolve gracefully.

This was another rock star lineup from Kosta Browne and it’s certainly one of the most impressive lineups I tasted all year. And while I generally consider 2013 to be a better vintage than 2014, these 2014s are a step up over last year’s releases, which were no slouches either. The estate continues to use moderate amounts of whole clusters for their reds, and aging occurs in varying amounts of French oak (and recently, some concrete). While these are big, rich wines, they’re in no way over the top and the vast majority have classic, structured and age-worthy profiles. Other producers at this level are few and far between.

Score: 96+ Robert Parker (RP), The Wine Advocate (WA), September 2016

The 2014 Pinot Noir Giusti Ranch is one of the darkest and most powerful wines in the range. Black cherry, plum, lavender and leather are all pushed forward. Unctuous, dark and brooding, the 2014 oozes personality. The new oak is a bit dominant at this stage, but otherwise all the elements are in place. I would prefer to enjoy the Giusti over the next few years, while the fruit retains its classic Russian River intensity.

Score: 93 Antonio Galloni (AG), Vinous Media (VM), August 2016