2020 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast • St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

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2020

Pinot Noir

Sonoma Coast

Sonoma Coast

97 Points | Harvest Terroir Challenge
Best-of-Class | Harvest Terroir Challenge
Best of Sonoma Coast AVA | Harvest Terroir Challenge
Double Gold | Harvest Terroir Challenge

Tasting Notes

This wine lures you in with aromas of fresh strawberries, juicy cherries, and subtle hints of sandalwood. On the palate, this wine boasts a perfect balance of tart fruit and soft baking spices, leading to a bright, juicy finish that will leave you wanting another sip.

Vintage Notes

The 2020 growing season enjoyed near-perfect growing conditions. With minimal rain this winter, the vines were awakened with ideal moderate spring-time temperatures, which eliminated any frost threat to the developing buds. At most sites, fruit set was during the optimal timeframe due to warm, consistent conditions. Veraison occurred 7-10 days earlier than previous years due to the temperate weather and minimal rain. Moderate daytime temperatures and cool nights throughout the summer months, with a few of the normal short-lived heat spikes, allowed for excellent flavor development. The year saw an early harvest, with 90% of the region’s grapes being picked before the late Fall.

Vineyard Notes

We source the fruit for this wine from multiple 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. The combined blend of these different vineyard sources produces a wine with distinct varietal character with 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 16 months before bottling.