Aston Estate Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2016
Product Details
Winemaker Notes
Vintages
2015 2013
In 2001 after finding a very intriguing 40 acre parcel in a remote part of the northern Sonoma Coast, I established Aston Estate with partners Fred Schrader (Schrader Cellars, Boars’ View) and Charles Sweeney (Vine Cliff). After planting 14 acres later that summer, we vinifed our first vintage in 2004 under the Aston Experimental label. As the years passed and the partnership evolved, the one thing that never changed was my commitment to the Aston Estate project. In the beginning, the style was a bit bigger reflecting what was currently happening on the coast, the unpredictability of the weather, younger vine characteristics and the logistics of hauling the fruit out of this remote site. With better access to the site, more vineyard activity in the area and older vines, it has become easier to take the quality of the fruit to exactly where we want it out at the Estate. There have been a few turning points out here in terms of wine quality. After tasting every single wine we’ve made from the estate a couple months ago, it was clear 2009 and 2015 ushered in new eras of quality. We think we may see the same thing with 2017 which will be offered later this summer. Earlier this year, I was offered the chance to own Aston outright. I knew immediately there was no way I could let this get away. After investing 20 years of effort into this now mature 14 acre plot of Pinot Noir, I’m proud to announce this will be part of the growing winemaking family for years to come.
The Sonoma Coast AVA is large in area but, not counting overlapping regions like Russian River Valley, only has a few thousand acres of grapevines—and it’s no wonder. Much of the region is rugged and not easily accessible. Its proximity to the Pacific Ocean’s fog and cool breezes limits the varieties that can be cultivated, but it proves to be an ideal environment for high quality Pinot Noir.
Since fog is a frequent fact of life here, as are heavy marine layers that sometimes bring rain, the best vineyards are wisely planted above the fog line, on picturesque ridges that capture enough sun to provide even ripening. That, with the overnight drop in temperature that reliably preserves acidity, results in fine expressions of Pinot Noir that often receive tremendous critic and consumer praise alike, and are often in high demand.