Forty years of pursuing a dream would deter most people, but not Ron Rubin. His dream of owning a winery began in college at UC-Davis when he was 22 years old. Although it took him to the age of 62 to achieve his dream, today The Rubin Family of Wines strikes the right balance of people, patience, location, sustainability, and quality to craft beautiful wines.

It was the discovery of a hidden gem, a small 10 acres, which lead to the pursuit of Ron’s forty year old dream. Not taking the discovery lightly, The Rubin Family of Wines protects their environment through sustainable practices. The Green Valley, where Rubin is located, of the Russian River Valley is an ideal location to grow grapes. It is the coolest and foggiest part of the RRV. Furthermore, the estate’s Goldrich soil is ideal for growing Pinot Noir, and other cool-climate grapes.

Their holistic approach to winegrowing includes owl boxes for pest management, cover cops for nutrient rich soil, tilling weeds, drought tolerant insect friendly landscape, water use monitoring in soil with irrigation used in only extreme conditions, solar energy, etc. Ron’s stewardship does not end in the vineyard and winery, he believes in giving back to the Sonoma County community through charities such as Food for Thought that supplies food and meals to those living with HIV/AIDS and other critical illnesses, School Garden Network that promotes healthy food choices and agricultural awareness in youth, and American Cancer Society’s Sebastopol Relay for Life, among others. Furthermore, the addition of the Ron Rubin Student Commons at Sonoma State University is designed to be an inspiring space for students and faculty as well as connect students from around the world studying to join the wine industry.

“Quality has always been the number one priority for The Rubin Family of Wines, and on behalf of our entire family, we will continue that commitment to producing quality wines at an excellent value to our loyal customers.” – Ron Rubin

I was first introduced to The Rubin Family of Wines through their Wine 101 series: A seven part educational series of emails designed to teach the reader about wine from the dirt to the glass. In my opinion, a winery that takes the time to publish free information to educate the consumer not only cares about crafting high quality wine, they also care that wine lovers understand some basic information to know what makes a wine good. I read the series long before I ever tried Rubin Family wines, but my intuition was correct because their wines are excellent.

Here are two wines that are worth seeking as we welcome spring, or any time of year:

2015 Ron Rubin Pinot Blanc Green Valley of Russian River Valley Sonoma County USA ($30): 100% Pinot Blanc; clear medium lemon in the glass; clean medium aromas of green apples and pears, under-ripe melon, grapefruit, fresh picked savory herbs, lime zest; dry wine with pronounced, mouth-watering acidity that coats the palate, medium- body, zesty and refreshing, long, tart finish; this is an ideal porch sipper on a warm day; the penetrating acidity makes it a great wine to pair with oysters, or any shell-fish.

2013 Ron Rubin Cool Climate Syrah Green Valley of Russian River Valley Sonoma County USA ($40): 100% Syrah; clear deep purple in the glass; clean medium+ aromas of  ripe black berries, violets, black pepper, sweet spice notes, leather, dried herbs, minerality; dry balanced wine with medium acidity, medium+ tannins, body and finish; the tannins are silky on the palate and well integrated, it coats the mouth and has a long, earthy finish; as a particular Syrah lover this wine delivers with elegance and layers of flavors.

Rubin Family Wines are available direct from the web site or in retailers throughout the US.

My Song Selection: Pairing one song with one wine that is crisp and zesty, and another wine that is lush and silky can be quite a challenge so do not judge too harshly. The important thing to note is these wines are both delicious and definitely worth your time and money.

Get your own bottle of Ron Rubin wines and let me know what song you pair with them.