Fog, Sun, and Gold: 2021 Weather Leras Vineyard Pinot Noir

Some vintages feel destined. The 2021 Weather Leras Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is one of them, shaped by the valley’s fog-laced mornings, sunlit afternoons, and the quiet discipline of the vines. This year, Sunset Magazine awarded it with a Gold medal and 94, honoring both the wine and the place that gave it life. This is the precise reason Weather Wines was started to make Burgundian varietal wines in those places where the microclimate is most perfect for these sensitive and expressive varietals.

The Russian River Valley is a study in contrasts. The Pacific’s marine layer drapes the land in cool, misted mornings, slowing the ripening and deepening the character of the fruit. By afternoon, sunlight spills across the rows, coaxing out vibrancy and nuance. This rhythm—cool to warm, shadow to light—is the heart of this Pinot Noir. 

In 2021, the balance of the growing season was near perfect. A dry growing season brought smaller yields, early ripening, and remarkable concentration. Summer held steady warmth, tempered by the nightly return of fog. By harvest, the fruit carried both energy and precision, the essence of a place in harmony with the weather.

In the glass, the 2021 Weather Leras Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir shows a pale ruby core with soft violet edges. Aromas of Bing cherry and pluot meet the earth’s whisper—wild mushrooms, dried rose petals, a trace of baking spice. On the palate, lively cran-raspberry and pomegranate give way to tea leaf and redwood, framed by a focused, linear acidity that eases into a smooth, silky finish after 14 months in 50% new French oak.

It is a wine that speaks quietly yet with clarity—of fog and sun, of patience and place. Each sip invites you deeper into the Russian River Valley, where weather is more than a condition. It is the craft.

For those drawn to the vineyard’s story, the 2020 Weather Leras Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir offers its own telling—proof that no two seasons speak the same language, yet each holds its truth. A vertical worthy of collection.

When the weather aligns, remarkable things happen.

Experience the 2021 Weather Leras Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir—available now in limited quantities. [Purchase here] and bring the Russian River Valley to your table.