Cirq Bootleggers Hill Pinot Noir 2013
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A thrilling expression of delicate, charming, understated elegance, this captures moderately ripe plum and blueberry flavors with aromatic rose petal aromas. Most impressive is the focus and delivery of flavor, which glides along, touching sweet spots and lingering. Drink now through 2022. 694 cases made.
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2016-
Jeb
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Jeb
Dunnuck
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"It has always been my dream to plant a vineyard and make wine from it. Wines that are the highest quality obtainable. Wines that provide a lens on where they were grown. CIRQ is the realization of that dream.” –Michael Browne
The vision for CIRQ first took shape several years ago when Michael Browne & the CIRQ team discovered what they consider to be the best sites in the best region for Pinot Noir; the Russian River Valley. They made the commitment at that time to pour all of their resources into developing these sites.
Browne & Co. bring a high level of focus to the task. They farm two estate vineyards and produce a single estate Pinot Noir from each. Production is extremely limited for the simple reason that CIRQ is an estate-driven program. They’ve done this with one goal in mind: to provide enthusiasts with wines of uncommon breeding that delight their senses and connect them to these special places.
While the Russian River Valley is a large appellation with multiple climate zones and soil types, it is best known for cool-climate varieties, with Pinot Noir as the most celebrated. The grapes benefit from a reliable late afternoon flow of Pacific Ocean fog through the Petaluma Gap and along the Russian River Valley that ensures slow and steady ripening and the preservation of grape acidity. Today many of California’s most highly regarded Pinot Noir vineyards are in the Russian River Valley, along with its sub-appellation, Green Valley.
Historically Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs had bright red fruit and delicate earthy, mineral notes. But changes in viticultural and winemaking practices have led to stylistic changes in some of the region’s wines. Adjustments to canopy management, among other techniques, have resulted in riper fruit and bolder wines as well. These show flavors of black cherry, blackberry, cola, spice and darker, loamy earth tones, accenting traditional Pinot Noir notes of strawberry, raspberry and light cherry.