Tanuda Ridge Vineyard is located in the Russian River Valley of Northern California, widely recognized as the premiere growing region for Pinot Noir. A stroll through our lush vineyard right before the grapes are harvested illustrates this point even further. And once you taste the wine that our grapes produce, you'll understand just what the experts are talking about.

But why does this region produce such spectacular Pinot Noir?

The answer, quite literally, is blowing in the wind.

One of the more notable characteristics of the Russian River Valley AVA (American Viticultural Appellation) is its chilly climate. We can thank the Pacific Ocean for that - it's only ten miles away from the vineyard.

Because of the ocean and the nearby river tributaries, foggy mornings are the norm around here. These give way to beautiful warm afternoons and a cooling breeze from the Pacific Ocean brings the temperatures back down in the evenings.

This makes the region one of the coolest premium wine regions in California, creating the perfect environment for Pinot Noir to grow and flourish. And our grapes are no exception. In fact, we think they are the finest of the bunch.