Raeburn 2022 High Flier Chardonnay Russian River Valley ($30)

As I've written previously, I usually find Raeburn's Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs to deliver pretty good bang-for-the-buck, and I find a lot to like in this recent release as well. On the one hand, it has fairly exotic cantaloupe and pineapple fruit flavors. One the other hand, it's a very tangy, mouth-watering citric wine. It is matured in French, American and Hungarian oak barrels. The latter can lend a fairly intense chocolatey or nutty flavor sometimes, but the oak isn't overwhelming here. I do wonder if this wine might have been acidified a bit (had some tartaric or malic acid added), just because it seems a tad disjointed, but it might have needed that mild correction (and it's hardly a crime if it makes the wine better). 88 Points

- Tim Teichgraeber

 

Raeburn High Flier Pinot Noir Russian River Valley, CA ($30)

This is a very fruit-driven Russian River Valley Pinot, and that's certainly not a bad thing. There is not a lot of pronounced oak. The emphasis is on silky, slightly sweet blackberry, lavender, red currant, blueberry, and brown sugar notes. I think this Raeburn brand delivers very consistent values across the board, and I would recommend these wines. This particular Pinot Noir is really good for the money, especially if you know that you already love the plush, luxurious style of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. This wine definitely over-delivers for the money. (91 Points)

-Tim Teichgraeber