What happens when the best of the vine meets the best of the vintage? La Crema’s Nine Barrel Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the pinnacle of our portfolio, representing the ultimate expressions of the Russian River Valley each year. Through a painstaking, year-long process, our winemaking team blind-tastes dozens of lots to select the nine top barrels from three prized vineyards, crafting a blend greater than the sum of its parts. These reserve-style wines are produced in ultra-small quantities—around 200 cases each year—and are available exclusively through our winery. They exemplify the height of La Crema’s artisan winemaking.

The Concept Behind Nine Barrel Wines: Vintage Over Vineyard

La Crema launched its Nine Barrel program in 1999 with the intention of elevating its Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays to their ultimate potential. What better place to do that than in the Russian River Valley—a winegrowing region just 60 miles north of San Francisco, nestled among redwood and Douglas fir forests with vineyards that stretch from the valley floor to the slopes of the Coast Range. With a storied history that long predates its founding in 1983, the Russian River Valley AVA is an incredibly diverse region, boasting more soil types than all of France. Spanning 150 square miles and encompassing six sub-regions (known as “neighborhoods”), the appellation lies just 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Cooling ocean fog blankets the vineyards during the evenings and mornings, while the afternoons are filled with abundant sunshine. Temperature shifts of up to 40 degrees in a single day slow the ripening process, allowing the grapes to develop full flavors while retaining their acidity. Here, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay develop remarkable concentration, complexity, and balance during the long, mild growing season. The idea behind Nine Barrel was not to create a wine that remains the same every year, but one that reflects the unique character of each vintage. By crafting a barrel-selection Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, La Crema set out to showcase the finest expression of the Russian River Valley, illuminating the region’s depth, diversity, and pedigree. Naturally, striving for the best of the best means producing an extremely limited quantity—around 200 cases each year.

The Art of Barrel Selection

While the winemaking process for the Nine Barrel wines remains constant, the blend changes every year to reflect the notable characteristics of the vintage. Warmer growing seasons lend themselves toward more opulent blends, while cooler ones favor more restrained, elegant expressions. To determine the final blends, Winemaker Craig McAllister and his team blind-taste (to eliminate bias) through at least 40 separate lots each of Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir—80 lots in total. Each block and clone is vinified separately and kept in individual lots to allow for the greatest range of expression for the final blend. These tastings, which begin in late October as soon as fermentation is complete, require an experienced and perceptive palate. At this stage, the wines are young, raw, and unrefined. As the wines age in barrels and undergo malolactic fermentation, they continue to evolve, and the team re-tastes through the winter and spring. They look for wines that reveal unique aromas, flavors, textures, and intensity. It is not so much about the wine as a complete Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, rather it’s what that wine brings to the final Nine Barrel blend. The process is akin to an artist selecting the perfect colors for their palette or a coach recruiting the best players for a team. Precision and artistry are essential.

Crafting the Pinnacle Wines

The Nine Barrel wines embody the best of La Crema’s winemaking philosophy: gentle handling of the fruit from budbreak to bottling, harvesting in the cool hours to preserve acidity, whole-cluster pressing and lees stirring for Chardonnay, and cold-soaking Pinot Noir in small open-top fermenters with three punch-downs daily to extract color and tannins. Additionally, Winemaker Craig McAllister carefully selects the barrel’s forest of origin and toast level to complement the wine’s character. By late May or June, each winemaker on the team presents their favorite lots for an additional round of reviewing. The team tastes through the options until they agree on the final selection. The wines are then blended and returned to 100% French oak barrels for an additional five months of aging—allowing the various components to become one—for a total of 15 months in barrel. After bottling in January, the wines undergo one more year of bottle aging before release. In short, it takes more than two years from harvest before your bottle of Nine Barrel wine is ready to enjoy.

What to Expect in the Glass

While the blend changes every year, the Nine Barrel wines consistently deliver balance, complexity, length, and distinctiveness. These are meticulously crafted wines, meant to encapsulate a moment in time from the Russian River Valley. The 2022 Nine Barrel Pinot Noir opens with aromas of raspberry, blackberry, and hints of black licorice, followed by flavors of pomegranate, boysenberry, plum, subtle tea, and spice. It’s an exceptional representation of the warmer 2022 growing season with its plush, fine-integrated tannins that are balanced by juicy acidity. Consider pairing this wine with a coffee-crusted filet mignon, Moroccan-spiced lamb, or herbed roasted almonds. Or simply enjoy it with aged cheeses for a spectacular match. The 2022 Nine Barrel Chardonnay offers enticing aromas of lemon curd, baked apple, brioche, and jasmine. The palate is rich and textured, reminiscent of the 2022 warmer vintage, with flavors of pear, shortbread, and nougat, followed by refined acidity and subtle toast. This wine would pair beautifully with lobster risotto, creamy pastas, and gooey cheeses. Shop the current Nine Barrel vintage.

Why Nine Barrel Wines Are a Must-Try

La Crema’s Nine Barrel wines are more than just wines—they are a testament to the artistry, precision, and passion of our winemaking team. The best wines, from the best vineyards—each bottle tells the story of the Russian River Valley vintage, offering a sensory journey that is as distinctive as it is pleasurable. Experience the pinnacle of La Crema’s portfolio for yourself. Shop Nine Barrel wines today and savor the artistry in every sip. Shop Nine Barrel Wines