2021 MARTIN RAY HALLBERG RANCH RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY PINOT NOIR Martin Ray dedicated his life to creating single-varietal wines from unique AVAs that genuinely represented the site where the grapes were grown. Courtney Benham purchased the brand in 1990 and continues where Martin left off, producing the same stylistically pure, terroir-driven wines and utilizing his natural talent for selecting distinctive vineyards. The Hallberg Vineyard was a former apple orchard on the edge of Green Valley, where the vines are 100% dry-farmed, which lends to the grapes reaching complete physiological ripeness at lower sugar levels. The site's distinctive, marine-influenced fruit attracts some of Sonoma's top producers to make wine from it, including Gary Farrell, Joseph Jewell, and Emeritus. Martin Ray's version is supple and rich in red fruits, capturing the vineyard's distinct identity wrapped into a lush, easy-drinking, delightful wine.