The story of Freeman Vineyard & Winery starts on September 28, 1985. On that fateful day, Ken Freeman, crewing a yacht on its way to the Caribbean, was forced to dock near his hometown of Scarsdale, New York to wait out Hurricane Gloria. While in port, Ken attended a party with some local friends, where he met Akiko, a Japanese student who had just arrived in America. They discovered a shared passion for fine wine, and the rest, as they say, is history. Later, Akiko and Ken's love of wine led them to search California for the perfect place to make elegant, cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In 2001, they found their dream site on the western edge of the Green Valley of Russian River Valley, where in 2005, they planted the Gloria Vineyard. In 2007, Ken and Akiko purchased Freeman Ranch, subsequently planting 14 acres that became the Yu-Ki Vineyard. Since, Freeman Vineyards have been at the vanguard of producing elegant, balanced cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, a style embraced by connoisseurs and collectors alike.

The Yu-Ki Estate Pinot Noir is named after Akiko's niece in Japan, though one translation of Yu-Ki is "big tree", which is appropriate since the Yu-Ki vineyard is surrounded by giant, old-growth Redwoods. It is a steeply sloped vineyard that is only five miles from the Pacific Ocean at an altitude of 1,200 feet. Since its planting in 2007, Yu-Ki has been farmed organically. The grapes are fermented in open-top fermenters and punched down by hand before aging for 11 months in a mix of new and old French oak barrels. Aromas of fresh earth, wild herbs and blackberries slowly reveal themselves in the glass. On the palate, enticing flavors of ripe plums, berries and sweet spice intermingle with soft round tannins, balanced acidity and a refreshing finish.