Current Release
- Vintage: 2009
- Appellation: Russian River Valley
- Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
- Release Date: April 30, 2011
Our 2009 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir was sourced from our estate WestPin Vineyard in the Middle Reach of the russian River and was complemented by a small portion of fruit from a mature site in the Freestone area. All vineyards are sustainable farmed.
Winemaker's Notes
Our 2009 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir has a ruby color with purple highlights and a complex nose of fresh rose petals, lilacs, candied apples, sweet baking spices and a hint of peppermint. It has a rich, broad attack on the palate and notes of caramel, butterscotch and ripe, red fruit. This expressive wine has a balanced finish of fruit, spice, bright natural acidity and fine grained tannins.
Vintage Description
The 2009 vintage was a return to a more classic growing season as the fog returned to temper the California summer. Concerns of less than average rainfall were quickly quashed by a 4-inch rain in early May that promoted vigorous growth in the vines. The summer was moderate with plenty of cooling fog and only a few days in July topping 100˚F. The prevailing cool temperatures enabled the Pinot Noir to achieve phenological ripeness at low sugar levels while retaining its acidity. This resulted in wines with moderate alcohols, ripe tannin structures and elegant acidities.
Winemaking
In the cellar, we fermented blocks separately to allow the greatest expression of each vineyard. After a 7 day cold soak, indigenous yeast fermentations were allowed to reach temperatures as high as 90˚F. Each wine lot was handled as an individual: the percentage of whole clusters, number of punchdowns, fermentation temperature and date of pressing were decided based on daily tastings of each open-top tank. Malolactic fermentation started in tank and finished in barrel. The wine was aged for 14 months sur lies in 100% French Burgundy barrels, 50% new.
