Vineyard Sources

Widely recognized as a difficult grape to grow, this native of the Burgundy region of France achieves greatness in only a handful of places worldwide. The nearly perfect climate combined with an amazing complexity of soil types, result in wines that reflect individual vineyards but share a common thread as well. John and Jim Pedroncelli have worked with the Frank Johnson Vineyard for over 20 years as a source for Pinot Noir. Forty percent of the 2006 vintage is from his vineyards along with three other growers, all within a few miles of each other. The blend of vineyards reflects the best of the appellation. The RRV climate is influenced by the regular intrusion of cooling fog from the Pacific Ocean a few miles to the west. This natural air-conditioning allows the grapes to develop full flavor maturity over an extended growing season while retaining their all-important natural acidity. This is a Pinot Noir that reflects the distinctive traits of the cooler climate area.

Winemaking

Harvest conditions were very good for the vintage. The fruit was picked the last two weeks of September, destemmed and whole berry fermented. The juice and skins were cold soaked before yeast inoculation. Fermentation took seven days in a small stainless steel tank. Pumpovers were performed three times per day for maximum color extraction. The round, full and polished texture of this wine comes not only from the high quality fruit but also judicious use of oak—the wine was aged for 12 months in small French oak barrels, with thirty percent new oak.

Winemaker's Tasting Notes

An elegant, medium bodied Pinot Noir. Aromas are highlighted by the essence of raspberries with clove and toasted oak accents. In the mouth this wine is soft and velvety with juicy cherry-berry flavors with just a bit of spiciness. The finish is nicely balanced with moderate tannin.

Technical Information

Appellation: Russian River Valley Barrel Aging: 12 months, French Oak barrels Alcohol: 13.9% pH: 3.53 Total acidity: .600g/100ml Bottled: December 2007 Limited Production

 

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