2022 Bucher Pinot Noir, Bucher Vineyard, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting Notes
Layers of dark, captivating aromatics fill the glass with the essence of ripe cherry woven with traces of boggy earth, cola, black tea, and baked brown spices. The bright entry, lifted by supple acidity, expresses rich flavors of Chelan cherry, mulberry, and pomegranate arils mingled with toasted oak and hints of sage incense and sandalwood. A savory creaminess appears on the palate as the wine lingers in the long toasty finish.
The Vineyard
Nestled along the picturesque Westside Road in the heart of Sonoma County’s renowned Russian River Valley, Bucher Vineyard has been crafting excellence since its founding in 1997 by John Bucher. A UC Davis graduate with deep roots in Healdsburg, John initially returned to manage his family’s dairy farm but soon set his sights on an additional passion: growing premium wine grapes.
Over the years, Bucher Vineyard has flourished, with additional plantings in 1998, 1999, 2006, 2008, and 2009. Today, this sustainably-farmed gem spans 38 acres, dedicated to cultivating some of the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes in the region—all from the home ranch.
Vintage Notes
Our harvest season unfolded with a mix of normalcy and challenges, shaped by a cooler-than-usual growing year. April and May brought unusually low temperatures, which affected berry set and led to shatter, missing berries on the clusters. Combined with the ongoing effects of a three-year drought, it was clear that yields would be lower than average. The summer weather added its own dynamic. While June and August delivered occasional heat spikes, July provided steadier, moderate temperatures. Harvesting for our Pinot Noir began on August 15th and wrapped up just in time to avoid the intense heat wave that arrived around Labor Day.
After graduating from UC Davis in 1984, John Bucher returned to Healdsburg to manage the family dairy operation, Bucher Farms, eventually transitioning the herd to an organic dairy farm. John continued on his parents’ path of growing the dairy herd, while also looking for opportunities to diversify into higher-value crops to stay economically sustainable.
In 1997, after two years of researching wine grape varietals, analyzing soils, and talking to neighboring grape growers, John planted the first Bucher Vineyard Pinot Noir blocks for Bucher Farms. Additional plantings of Pinot Noir and eventually Chardonnay followed in 1998, 1999, 2006, 2008, and 2009. Today, Bucher Vineyard Pinot Noir grapes are sold by Bucher Farms to several notable Sonoma County wineries, including Williams Selyem, Papapietro Perry, Joseph Jewell, Dutcher Crossing, and others.
Today, the 700-cow organic dairy is the mainstay of the ranch, while the vineyard acreage has grown. Today, Bucher Vineyard consists of 38 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes on 15 distinct blocks farmed by John for Bucher Farms. The organic practices used on the farm and dairy carry over into the vineyard, where John uses sustainable viticulture practices.
With the 2011 harvest, John and his wife Diane, along with help from their children, crushed their first grapes for Bucher Wines. As a working dairy, farm, and vineyard, it is truly a family affair. Their children, Elizabeth, Hannah, Jack, and Tony Klisura, are the third generation of Buchers to work on this family farm.
In 2013, when the first vintage of Bucher Wines was ready for release, Diane Kircher Bucher left behind her career in textile sales to work full-time for the winery. Wearing too many hats to list, Diane keeps things moving. Her primary goal is to connect with as many folks as possible, getting them to taste the Bucher Vineyard wines. She is often found pouring wine for restaurateurs, retailers, and public events where anyone with a ticket can try their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
With a lengthy farming tradition and history, the John and Diane Bucher Family look forward to sharing their grape growing and winemaking experiences with you for many years and generations to come.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2022 Bucher Russian River Valley Pinot Noir - $100 = 33.33%
I received a bottle of the 2022 Bucher Pinot Noir, Bucher Vineyards, Russian River Valley. We were headed out of town, so I opened it the night it arrived.
Appearance: Deep purple in the glass, on the darker side for PN but more typical of RRV. The wine is clear.
Aroma: Initially on the nose I get a combination of red and black fruits, black cherry, and boysenberry. It’s fairly tight and needs some air but I also get some savory herbs and what I can only describe as green stem aroma. There is also a slight hint of smokiness and maybe something minty. After being open for some time, the fruit really emerges and takes forefront, with big jammy stewed berries. This will be a big crowd pleaser. After some air the fruit is very prominent, but there are still some interesting green herbal notes that add complexity to the wine.
Taste: On the palate, the wine is medium bodied with medium low acid and low tannins. The finish is medium-short. The wine is dry and easy drinking.
Summary: If you like RRV Pinot, this is quite typical and quite delicious. It’s fruity enough to please a crowd and interesting enough to please a more discerning taster. I guessed the Casemates price would be ~$20/bottle, so pretty close. I recommend the wine.
Rat #2 here. I echo everything @jhkey said, except maybe on opening I found that fruit to be front and center from the first sip.
If you know me you might think of me as more of a Tempranillo drinker - and you’d be mostly right - but when I buy wine, I’m a fiend for Pinot. And this is a very nice one. And more full bodied than you might expect for 13% ABV.
And good with food. I recently scored an inexpensive pizza oven. I enjoyed this with a simple salami and mozzarella pie, and I can safely say it’s a good pizza wine. I didn’t spice up the pizza to be fair to the wine, but the wine would have handled it just fine. Recommended.
In case anyone wondering what the folks at Jeb’s operation had to say…
94 points. Dark red/with a purple tinge, the 2022 Pinot Noir Bucher Vineyard is highly expressive, with notes of sandalwood, black cherry, loads of spice, and incense. It’s woodsy and long on the palate, with a medium to full-bodied feel, but it retains its lovely balance. It’s a unique and fascinating wine to drink 2025-2037. 520 cases produced. Audrey Frick 6.27/24
2022 Bucher Pinot Noir, Bucher Vineyard, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting Notes
The Vineyard
Vintage Notes
Specs
Block / Clone:
What’s Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$624.00/Case for 12x 2022 Bucher Pinot Noir, Bucher Vineyards, Russian River Valley at Bucher Wines
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Oct 13 - Tuesday, Oct 14
2022 Bucher Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
3 bottles for $74.99 $25/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $199.99 $16.67/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2022 Bucher Russian River Valley Pinot Noir - $100 = 33.33%
I received a bottle of the 2022 Bucher Pinot Noir, Bucher Vineyards, Russian River Valley. We were headed out of town, so I opened it the night it arrived.
Appearance: Deep purple in the glass, on the darker side for PN but more typical of RRV. The wine is clear.
Aroma: Initially on the nose I get a combination of red and black fruits, black cherry, and boysenberry. It’s fairly tight and needs some air but I also get some savory herbs and what I can only describe as green stem aroma. There is also a slight hint of smokiness and maybe something minty. After being open for some time, the fruit really emerges and takes forefront, with big jammy stewed berries. This will be a big crowd pleaser. After some air the fruit is very prominent, but there are still some interesting green herbal notes that add complexity to the wine.
Taste: On the palate, the wine is medium bodied with medium low acid and low tannins. The finish is medium-short. The wine is dry and easy drinking.
Summary: If you like RRV Pinot, this is quite typical and quite delicious. It’s fruity enough to please a crowd and interesting enough to please a more discerning taster. I guessed the Casemates price would be ~$20/bottle, so pretty close. I recommend the wine.
Rat #2 here. I echo everything @jhkey said, except maybe on opening I found that fruit to be front and center from the first sip.
If you know me you might think of me as more of a Tempranillo drinker - and you’d be mostly right - but when I buy wine, I’m a fiend for Pinot. And this is a very nice one. And more full bodied than you might expect for 13% ABV.
And good with food. I recently scored an inexpensive pizza oven. I enjoyed this with a simple salami and mozzarella pie, and I can safely say it’s a good pizza wine. I didn’t spice up the pizza to be fair to the wine, but the wine would have handled it just fine. Recommended.
@eljefetwisted
Good to see you’re still around; and WD needs to give you more Rat bottles.
In case anyone wondering what the folks at Jeb’s operation had to say…
94 points. Dark red/with a purple tinge, the 2022 Pinot Noir Bucher Vineyard is highly expressive, with notes of sandalwood, black cherry, loads of spice, and incense. It’s woodsy and long on the palate, with a medium to full-bodied feel, but it retains its lovely balance. It’s a unique and fascinating wine to drink 2025-2037. 520 cases produced. Audrey Frick 6.27/24
fwiw
