Long before he was growing Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley, Rick Moshin spent his days helping students understand complicated ideas by breaking them down into something simple, approachable, and even a little fun. Turns out, that’s a pretty good way to talk about wine, too.
Professor Pinot is our way of bringing the tasting room online. Our greatest joy is sharing what makes the Russian River Valley such a remarkable place to grow wine—and helping you discover what makes every bottle unique. Here you’ll find quick lessons, wine myths, behind-the-scenes stories, and answers to the questions everyone has but doesn’t always ask.
Because wine doesn’t have to be complicated to be fascinating.
Start exploring below.
In order to pamper our estate specialty, Pinot Noir, our owner/winemaker Rick Moshin (along with family and friends) designed and built one of California’s first gravity-flow wine cellars. Delicate, thin-skinned Pinot Noir grapes are sensitive to being overworked, so Moshin Vineyards’ four-level cellar uses the momentum of gravity—rather than the more aggressive power of pumps and conveyors—to gently move them between each stage of wine production.
Here's the funny thing about Pinot Noir. A decent Cabernet is usually still enjoyable. A decent Chardonnay is usually still enjoyable. But Pinot Noir doesn't really do "pretty good." When conditions aren't right, the wine can be thin, awkward, or forgettable. When everything comes together, however, Pinot becomes one of the most expressive wines in the world. It has an extraordinary ability to reflect where it was grown, revealing subtle differences in soil, climate, and vintage that few other grapes can match. That's why winemakers become obsessed with it.