2023 Hook & Ladder Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 6pk 6x750ml

Hook & Ladder Winery carries the legacy of one of the Russian River Valley's founding families. The story begins in 1970, when San Francisco firefighter Cecil De Loach and his wife Christine purchased the 24-acre Barbieri Ranch on Olivet Road, in the heart of what would become one of California's most celebrated Pinot Noir regions. By 1975 Cecil had taken early retirement to devote himself fully to winemaking, and the couple emerged as leaders of the Russian River Valley movement — among the very first to put that designation on their labels. In 1973, they became the first to plant Pinot Noir on Olivet Road.

After selling their acclaimed De Loach Vineyards to Boisset Family Estates in 2003, Cecil and Christine didn't slow down. They launched Hook & Ladder just down the street, naming it in honor of Cecil's 17-year firefighting career. Today the winery is helmed by grandson Jason De Loach, who joined as winemaker in 2006 after an internship in Chile and several years training at Balletto Vineyards. Under Jason, Hook & Ladder operates as a small, unpretentious estate producer focused on limited-production bottlings that express the character of each site.

The Russian River Valley is purpose-built for Pinot Noir. Cool maritime conditions and the coastal fog that blankets the vineyards each morning and evening extend the growing season, giving the fruit the long hang time that builds complexity, color, and flavor. The De Loach estate vineyards sit on the plains and gently rolling hills off Olivet Road in western Santa Rosa, where these cooling influences let Pinot Noir ripen slowly and evenly.

In the cellar, Jason leans on old-world techniques — whole berries, a portion of whole clusters, and small-batch fermentations punched down up to three times a day — before aging the wine in French oak to bring balance and integration. The result is a Pinot that drinks well above its price class: serious in its sense of place, yet relaxed, approachable, and genuinely easy to love.