A few years before I started writing about wine for a “living”, I visited Freeman Winery just outside of Sebastopol in the Russian River Valley. Freeman was a relatively new producer back then (it was founded by Ken and Akiko Freeman in 2001), and I spent quite a bit of time with Assistant Winemaker Eric Buffington, whom I have mentioned before in this space.

Back then, Akiko Freeman was just starting her winemaking career, but fast-forward a decade and a half, and she has cemented her reputation as one of the top winemakers in the region. At some point over the years, I discovered that Ken is an avid cyclist, and we have met up for a ride on a couple of occasions. Such was the case this past Fall when I was once again out in Sonoma County.

The plan? Ken and I would head out on a morning ride, nothing too strenuous, maybe 30 miles or so. We would return to the winery and taste through the current releases with Akiko. The bike ride was, well, interesting, which I will chronicle next week, but the tasting was fantastic, and it was the first time I actually tasted the wines with Akiko herself, despite having visited the winery close to a dozen times.

The Freemans produce a couple of Chardonnays, a handful of Pinot Noirs, and, as I found out on this visit, a Riesling, which is quite rare in Sonoma County. And, while doing some research for this article, I discovered there is also a sparkling rosé in the Freeman arsenal, which I will definitely have to try on my next visit (and hopefully cajole Ken into sending me one for my next blind sparkling tasting in December). Here are my notes from the whites, I will publish the Pinot Noir notes next week.

2023 Freeman Ko-Fu Riesling, Sonoma Coast, CA: Retail $49. Akiko said she made this for their “drinking buddy across the street”, who converted over 5 acres to Riesling. That might not seem like a lot, but there are only 55 acres of the variety in all of Sonoma County. Quite aromatic with great fruit and minerality, and just a touch of petrol on the nose. The palate is very dry (zero grams of residual sugar), with plenty of fruit, mostly tart green apple and Bosc pear. Quite bright and linear, this is both a fun and serious wine, which I feel will improve quite a bit with some additional cellar time. Excellent. 91 Points. 

2023 Freeman Chardonnay, Hawk Hill Vineyard, Sonoma Coast, CA: Retail $56. Less than 8 barrels produced, all French oak with one barrel, one year old, the rest were neutral. 100% malolactic fermentation. The vineyard is up on a hill in Freestone, about 5 miles from the Pacific Ocean, making it quite windy and cold, and therefore, always the last vineyard picked in the Freeman lineup. The block that Freeman now controls originally went to Williams Selyem. But in 2017, they gave the block up since the fruit wouldn’t get ripe enough for them, and it was subsequently offered to Freeman. Tons of lemon curd and fresh apricot on the nose, with that simply wonderful fruit transfering onto the palate. There is a zingy, fresh acidity that centers the wine all the way to the finish with a hint of spice coming in on the midpalate. Bright, tart, and engaging. Yum. Excellent. 92 Points. 

2023 Freeman Ryo-Fu Chardonnay, Green Valley of Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $49. 100% French oak (5% new). Ryo-Fu means “cool breeze” in Japanese, an apt, two-word description of the Green Valley, which is cooled by the breezes off the Pacific Ocean, funneled along the Russian River. This is one of my favorite wines every year, not just from Freeman, but from the entire appelation. An enchanting nose of tree fruit (more peach than pear) and lemon zest, with just a hint of vanilla. The palate is rich (close to unctuous), layered, and expressive with plenty of fruit (lemon, a touch of lime), with hints of meringue, and incredible depth. Whoa. Yowza. Outstanding. 95 Points. 

As I mentioned, I will be back next week with my notes on the Pinots I tasted with Akiko, as well as my rather adventurous ride through the Russian River Valley!