2015 Vintage Sold Out
2016 Estate Pinot Noir Release Date: November 1, 2018
Our 2015 Estate Pinot Noir comes from a low-yielding vintage and features concentrated flavors and bolder tannins than the average year. Lots of spicy dark berries with a touch of pepper, a broad palate and a long lngering finish. 91 points - Josh Raynolds, Vinous 90 points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Our home grown Estate Pinot Noir is truly a labor of love, with the vines mere steps from our Tasting Room. Our location in the cool-climate Mount Madonna district of the southern Santa Cruz Mountain foothills provides excellent growign conditions for dark, fully ripe and top flight Pinot Noir.
The long drought continued through 2015, and the low water coupled with poor weather during fruit set resulted in significantly low yields; roughly 40% of average. Growing conditions otherwise were excellent, a slightly cooler year than normal that had us picking in the second week of September. The berries were notably smaller and darker than in typical years.
Bright red in the glass, with spice-accented aromas of dark berries and cola, hint of floral vanilla and a black pepper note. Broad and full in the mouth with blackberry-raspberry and cherry-cola attitude. Long finish with a touch of smokey mocha and velvet tannin.
Grapes were picked by hand on September 9 and 10 and destemmed to whole berries within hours. Cold soak proceeded for roughly 5 days in small one ton fermentors at which point native fermentation had begun, followed by inoculation with yeast RC212. Manual punchdowns were performed 3 times a day until completion of fermentation, and the wine was pressed to tank to settle before barreling down. The wine was undistrubed for 11 months until racking for bottling.
Malolactic: 100%
Harvest Date: 9/9/2015
Alcohol: 14.2%
Cooperage: 33% new oak, balance 1 and 2 year barrels
Bottling Date: 8/30/2016
Production: 385
