Tongue Dancer Wines Foxtrot Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2024

The Data

Country USA

Appellation Russian River Valley

Varietal Pinot Noir

Retail Price $49

ABV 14.3%

Score 4 Stars/96 points

In the Glass

Appearance

Brilliant, deep ruby color.

Aromatics

The aromatics are intense, with scents of raspberry, dried herbs, and cassis, supported by clove, black tea, forest floor, and hints of wild lavender.

Flavor

The palate confirms the nose, delivering a red-and-black fruit-driven core with flavors of black plum, five-spice, tamarind, slate, and star anise. The finish is long and lingering with ripe, chewy tannins.

Intensity & Texture

Full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a supple texture.

Cool Factor

We have yet to find a Tongue Dancer Wines Pinot Noir that was not the pinnacle of cool. Their Foxtrot label delivers again with excellent fruit and superb winemaking.

Value Grade

Top-shelf Pinot Noir made in small production, priced under $50, is a great value in today's wine market. Get this one while it lasts.

Analysis

The fifth vintage of Tongue Dancer Wines’ (TDW) Foxtrot is the fourth on the trot from the Russian River Valley. However, the vineyard source, Castro Vineyard, is new to Foxtrot. The vineyard is located in the Santa Rosa Plains sector of the Russian River Valley. The area is known for cooler temperatures, clay soils, and coastal influences. The 2024 vintage was warm, so some of the cool climate effects were negated. Most importantly, the wine remains fun to drink, with unstoppable charm and style. This wine features three Pinot Noir Clones, Dijon 115 & 667, and 2A. The grapes were hand-picked on the cool morning of September 26th and gently de-stemmed — not crushed. Daily punchdowns and cool fermenting temperatures ensured depth and a fruit-forward wine. The wine spent 11 months on the lees in French oak, 20% of which was new. It was bottled unfined and lightly filtered in August 2025. The resulting wine is truly delicious, fun to drink, and a super value.

How to Enjoy

This wine really needs nothing but a glass, but the rich texture and bright acidity would pair perfectly with a grilled beef ribeye or rich, braised beef and mushrooms.