VINEYARD Castaldi, Cohn, Gantz, Giusti, Graham, Jenkins, Keefer, Laguna, Thorn Ridge, Koplen, Laguna Valdez, Lucky Well, Moonshine, Ritchie, Sundawg, Zio Tony.
HARVEST August 14 – September 15, 2015
FERMENTATION stainless steel, wood and concrete open tops / 5 day cold soak / 14 day average ferment / 5% whole cluster
OAK 36% new French oak, 14 months / 15% aged in wood tank / 4% aged in concrete tank
ALCOHOL 14.4%
pH 3.54
TA 6.34 g/L
BOTTLING DATE December 12 – 14, 2016
AROMA
Rainier and Bing cherry and raspberries with fragrant floral notes.
PALATE
Elegantly textured with bright acidity and silky mouthfeel. Crunchy red fruits are forward on the palate with lasting focus and energy.
There are many differences between vineyards in this small appellation, but the majority of them do share a common influence – the cooling effect that follows the Russian River inland from the Pacific coast. The resulting fog helps keep nights cool and offers vines a respite from daytime temperatures. In turn, these diurnal temperature swings slow down ripening and promote more evolved flavors in our grapes. We work with vineyards that span a diverse and varied view into a region that many would call the heartland of California Pinot Noir. Our goal is to create a wine that showcases the essence of this magical appellation.
Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to work with many great vineyards. We continue to work carefully with select growers that farm in and around our Sebastopol home. There is often a recognizably full mouthfeel and texture to the wines from the area—a common thread to the components of this blend and a feature we are drawn to every year. This vintage was much more compact due to extreme heat in early September that created a mad dash to harvest as much fruit as possible at peak quality.
Fact of Note: 49 small lots went into the wine.
THE RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY IS hallowed ground for lovers of great Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Here, the vines are submersed in clockwork fog and daytime temperature swings, which preserve the natural acidity essential to elegant, age-worthy wines. We work with a handful of the most beloved vineyards from this remarkable wine region considered by many to be the heartland of California Pinot Noir.
Within Russian River Valley, in a town tucked away from the main roads, you’ll find a community ranging from writer to artisan. The town of Graton is an area where local winemakers and growers take a respite and enjoy some of the many popular yet under-the-radar restaurants. During harvest, the little town is full of life and bustling.
