BACK
Tasting Notes
This luscious Pinot Noir reflects the allure of Russian River Valley fruit – vibrant, complex, bright, and textured. Aromas of cherry, earth, and allspice berries merge with flavors of dark red fruit, juicy chocolate-covered cherries, and tea leaf. Balanced acidity and silky tannins precede a long and lengthy finish.
Vintage Notes
The 2024 growing season started off quite wet and cold, giving the vines an extended dormant period. Bud break occurred as spring began, followed closely by a brief bloom period. Early summer brought a mix of warm and hot days, but nights remained cool, allowing the vines time to recoup. Vintage 2024 was a tale of two harvests: our Sauvignon Blanc was harvested on August 31st—two and a half weeks earlier than in 2023—marking the start of an early pick season that also included Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel through early September. The Bordeaux varieties followed, mostly harvested in mid-September, with our final truck of Cabernet Sauvignon arriving on October 11th.
Vineyard Notes
We source premium Pinot Noir fruit from the Russian River Valley, a cooler region of Sonoma County. The vineyard sites here experience a marine influence from the Pacific Ocean as cool air, fog, and wind rolls in at night during the summer, dropping temperatures substantially. This natural air-conditioning is ideal for Pinot Noir, allowing the grapes to develop deep flavors while retaining brisk acidity.
Winemaker Notes
To capture the distinct characteristics and texture of Russian River fruit, the lots are fermented separately in open-top tanks, starting with a five to ten-day cold soak to extract optimal color and flavor. After a long, slow fermentation, the wine is racked off into French Oak barrels, 33% new, where it undergoes natural malolactic fermentation followed by aging for eleven months before blending and bottling.
