VINEYARD Thorn Ridge Ranch
CLONES 777, 115, Swan, 667
ORIENTATION North/East
TRELLISING VSP
SOIL Goldridge
FERMENTATION 70% stainless steel, 20% wood, 10% concrete, 7% whole cluster
OAK 34% new French oak for 14 months, 50% wood tank for 12 months
ALCOHOL 14.4%
pH 3.75
TA 5.3 g/L
AROMA
Complex, with subtle notes of cranberry, black cherry, and a hint of sagebrush.
PALATE
Expansive, with balanced tannins and a broad, exceptional finish ending with a touch of dark chocolate.
Thorn Ridge’s dry-farmed hillsides are a magnet for cold sea air and fog, yielding a fascinating wine with exceptional structure and aging potential. Planted in 1995, in Goldridge soils, the four clones used in this wine yield a complex and captivating Pinot Noir that our winemaker, Julien Howsepian, calls “an old soul wine.” The vineyard was planted in 1995 and has been a key contributor within our family of wines for years.
While it displays lovely flavors of black cherry and cranberry, it has a rustic character, with beguiling layers of lavender, sage, and forest floor that will appeal to connoisseurs. On the palate, soft tannins carry the wine to a finish with a hint of dark chocolate.
Fact of Note: Oak cask provided very slow aging creating an elegant and soft wine.
THE SONOMA COAST, WHICH OVERLAPS with the Russian River Valley and stretches all the way to the windswept edge of the Pacific Ocean, has emerged as a hub for cool-climate wines. The vineyards are planted using the finest modern clones and viticultural techniques and have rapidly earned the region acclaim for producing some of the world’s most extraordinary Pinot Noirs.
A deserving pitstop along the Sonoma Coast is the picturesque town of Bodega. Made famous by Hitchcock’s “The Birds,” this little town is also known for incredible food from talented chefs focused on local, seasonal brilliance.
