Classic Tier Winemaker RS Reserve Tier Prestige Tier Unique and Limited
Albarino
Carneros Estate Chardonnay
Napa Valley Garnacha Rosado
Alexander Valley Gewurztraminer
San Benito County
Select Late Harvest Pinot Blanc
Carneros
Pinot Noir
Carneros 3-Liter Syrah
Sonoma Valley
Carneros Estate Chardonnay
Napa Valley Garnacha Rosado
Alexander Valley Gewurztraminer
San Benito County
Select Late Harvest Pinot Blanc
Carneros
Pinot NoirCarneros 3-Liter Syrah
Sonoma Valley
 |
About 64 of our 150 acres of estate vineyards in Napa Carneros consist of Pinot Noir. The vineyards date from 1989 and ten Pinot Noir clones and selections are planted. In 2000, we also harvested very limited quantities of fruit from two other small vineyards in southern Carneros. Our Pinot Noir yields averaged 2.7 tons per acre in 2000. Winemaking After hand-harvesting, the grapes were de-stemmed only (whole berries). Some lots received up to five days of cold soaking before fermentation. The wines were fermented in open-top vessels with a 1:1 height-to-diameter ratio for optimum cap exposure. About 10% whole clusters were added to the fermentations. Most lots were inoculated with one of several yeast strains; some lots went through uninoculated fermentations. A pneumatic punch-down device was used up to four times daily to break up the cap and extract flavor and color. The wines were pressed directly into barrels, malolactic fermentations were completed in barrel, and the wines were racked just prior to bottling. Tasting Notes Deep, intense aromas of juicy black, cherry, sweet ripe plum, and background touches of mint and spice crowd the nose of this wine. Fleshy and silken, it offers a wealth of cherry/berry flavors and traces of chocolate and cream. 93 bottles produced. 14.1% alcohol by volume; 3.61 pH; 0.63 g/100ml total acidity. |