“John and Diane Bucher founded their eponymous Russian River Valley winery in 2011, simultaneously taking on Adam Lee as their founding winemaker. Adam is best known for producing high-quality Pinot Noir and for his winery Siduri… The Bucher wines show off a plush ripeness of style, with good purity and classic appeal.” – Jeb Dunnuck

Russian River Pinotphiles unite!! A 97-POINT thriller is up for grabs.

But be warned…

If you want a light, dainty, ethereal, “Burgundian” style this might offend your sensibilities. “THOSE CALIFORNIANS!!” you might yell, as you rail against the bounty of ripe fruit and warm round oak.

But if you want something with serious oomph. Some extraction. A little “sport mode” for your Pinot Noir, this is right in your wheelhouse.

For those in the know, Russian River Valley is the prized spot to grow juicy, perfectly balanced Pinot Noir. The chilly climate and looooong growing season make for complexity and deep intensity in flavor. And Bucher is one of the best vineyards, smack in the tenderloin of the Russian River. Their neighbors are Bacigalupi and Rochioli for heaven’s sake. Since 1999 the likes of Williams Selyem and Merry Edwards have been making some killer single vineyard Pinots from this fabled site. A quick search for Williams Selyem’s Bucher reveals bottles between $100 and $250. If you can actually find any!

John and Dianne Bucher started as grape farmers with their estate, and it has grown into a working dairy, farm, and vineyard. Crushing their first grapes in 2011, while also hiring the infamous Adam Lee, of Siduri fame as a winemaker, they’ve kept the vineyard at the front of the winemaking philosophy and kept the standards as high.

Just about a mile and a half north of Williams Selyem on Westside Road in Healdsburg, the vineyard is made up of mostly Pinot and a bit of Chardonnay with distinctly different blocks. All sustainably farmed, these are some of the best grapes in Sonoma and go into many other top wines from Papapietro Perry to Joseph Jewell.

This expression of the vineyard is a blend of barrels and 4 different clones which makes a well-rounded, sensual, and lush view of what top-quality vineyard management can do. It pushes the boundaries of richness, full and round, sporting a deep garnet hue with all the typical Pinot aromas dialed to 11. Bright Rainier cherry, raspberry preserves, and coco fill the nose. On the palate, the ripe red fruit spills over the floodgates with rhubarb pie, strawberry, cherry cola, and a whole array of herbs bouncing around ultra-fine tannins and brilliant acidity. If you like Kosta Browne or Aubert Pinots, you’ll seriously dig this.

And for this price?! Don’t be silly. Get to it quickly!

97 Points – Press Democrat “Double Gold, North Coast Wine Challenge, 2024.”

94 Points – Jeb Dunnuck “Taking on a darker hue while remaining transparent, the 2021 Pinot Noir Three Sixty has a wonderful balance of spicy and floral aromatics, with cracked pepper, wet asphalt, and black raspberry. This continues seamlessly to the palate, with supple pure raspberry liqueur, fresh herbs, and blood orange as well as freshness and a delicate hint of smoky incense. It has fantastic balance where no component of its structure sticks out, although it feels as if it will have a good deal of longevity ahead.”