Carneros Reserve Pinot Noir

With Pinot Noir, I worry about aromatics first, color second. Our open top fermenters with the pneumatic punch down devices are key to achieving this vision. Rather than beating up the wine during fermentation the way pumping over can do, this tool gently extracts flavor and color but leaves the delicate aromatics in place. With enough oak to provide texture ...

A spicy bouquet of roses and cherries greets the nose, with flavors of black cherry, tangy cranberry and brown spices to follow. The long spicy finish is accented by a hint of toasty oak from 16 months aging in French oak barrels. We anticipate this wine will continue to age gracefully in the cellar for up to 10 years.

Bright red fruits are the initial impact of this Pinot Noir. Raspberry, strawberry, and bing cherry set the tone and the bright acidity from the cool 2010 season give the wine a wonderful balance on the palate. There is a hint of rose petals and violets lending a nice floral component. The oak is subtle, but present, with a light ...

2008 was another drought year in Napa Valley, making the vines relatively less vigorous withsmaller berries. Bud break in Artesa's Carneros vineyard occurred the usual time -- from mid tolate March -- but a severe frost limited the crop size even further. The vineyard team worked hardthrough the season to ensure even ripeness among the berries. A long heat spell ...