Winemaker Notes
In 1997, an unseasonably warm winter and balmy spring lead to an early spring bud-break. Although frost protection was necessary on many nights, excellent weather during bloom lead to a good crop set. Perfect summer temperatures produced an early sizeable harvest. Fortunately, fruit quality was high and reached maturity, while maintaining the acidity that is the hall-mark of cool climate fruit.
Throughout the winemaking process, we handled our grapes carefully, minimizing tannin extraction, which can add harsh or bitter flavors. The grapes were destemmed, but not crushed, before being transferred to stainless steel tanks. While removing stems eliminated the extraction of green tannins, whole cluster fermentation concentrated the grapes' fruit flavors. After a primary fermentation, maloactic fermentation transformed the sharper malic acids into softer lactic acids, producing a rounder wine. More than five months aging in predominantly small French oak barrels with medium and medium plus toast levels added complexity and gave the wine time to mellow before bottling.
Our Pinot Noir is smooth and silky. Strawberry and red raspberry fruit flavors are accented by subtle spice and vanilla flavors. A lingering finish completes this elegant wine.
Consider food pairings with a heartier fish such as salmon or halibut. Roasted chicken or lightly grilled or roast pork also complement this Pinot Noir, as do sautéed mushrooms.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Reaching up California's coastline and into its valleys north of San Francisco, the North Coast AVA includes six counties: Marin, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake. While Napa and Sonoma enjoy most of the glory, the rest produce no shortage of quality wines in an intriguing and diverse range of styles.
Climbing up the state's rugged coastline, the chilly Marin County, just above the City and most of Sonoma County, as well as Mendocino County on the far north end of the North Coast successfully grow cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and in some spots, Riesling. Inland Lake County, on the other hand, is considerably warmer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc produce some impressive wines with affordable price tags.