Founded in 2003 by the husband and wife team of Kenneth and Laura Juhasz, Auteur Wines began as a side project for Kenneth, the son of a Hungarian refugee, who was the winemaker at Donum Estate in Sonoma at the time. Exploration in Burgundy and working harvests in Sonoma, Napa, Willamette Valley and New Zealand put them on the Pinot path. Word-of-mouth and slow-burn growth resulted in an April 2025 opening of a new winery and tasting destination in Sonoma's Russian River Valley.

Auteur sources fruit from a range of sustainable vineyards along the Northern California coast. Balinard is a 2.5 acre organically farmed vineyard in the Green Valley AVA on the outskirts of Sebastopol. The acreage was planted in 2007 in mineral-rich Goldridge soils.

This is quintessential fog-shrouded, cool-climate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, gracefully crafted and mouthwateringly delicious. The glistening garnet color unveils a floral bouquet of dried rose petals and freshly picked garden flowers. Within the core are ripe Morello cherries, rhubarb, baking spices, fresh herbs, sea breeze, and a touch of salinity. The tannins are finely grained with some mineral accents that add to the persistent and lengthy finish. This single-vineyard Pinot Noir is a gracious revelation of the terroir of Russian River Valley and Kenneth Juhasz's winemaking expertise.

By Peter Pretzer