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92 Points | International Women's Wine Competition | June 2019
Gold Medal | International Women's Wine Competition | June 2019
Gold Medal | Press Democrat North Coast Challenge | April 2019

Tasting Notes

Bright, fresh, and quenching, this expressive wine has inviting aromas and flavors of red cherry, ripe raspberry, chai spices, and fennel frond. Light to medium-bodied, there’s a pop of acidity on the entry followed by a long, plush, and silky finish.

Vintage Notes

The 2017 growing season started out wet with record-breaking rainfall refreshing our vineyards over several dry years. the mild spring led to a timely bud break and a good fruit set, followed by ideal conditions of cool mornings and warm, sunny days throughout the summer months. Our first grapes of the season were “blessed” on August 25, officially beginning the St. Francis harvest. A few days of intense heat at the beginning of September sped up ripening throughout the region. Well-timed picks throughout the month meant the majority of the fruit was in by the first week of October. Beautiful color, well-defined aromatics, and outstanding flavor are all evident in this year’s vintage.

Vineyard Notes

We source the fruit for this wine from vineyards in the Sonoma Coast region of the county. Due to the proximity to San Pablo Bay and the Pacific Ocean, the Sonoma Coast area experiences many cool and foggy days during the summer months, resulting in small yields of flavorful fruit with balanced acidity. We add a touch of Syrah from our Certified Sustainable Wild Oak Estate Vineyard. The combination of fruit produces a wine with distinct varietal character and supple features and texture.

Winemaker Notes

This Pinot was fermented using a combination of techniques, fusing both old and new world styles of winemaking. Each vineyard lot undergoes a slow 14-day ferment, with an extended maceration for up to 30 more days to allow flavor and texture to harmonize. The wine is then racked off into French oak barrels, 30% new, where it undergoes malolactic fermentation naturally. The wine is aged for 14 months before bottling.