A very challenging finish to the growing season sets this vintage apart. It was another relatively dry winter and we saw a late Spring frost in Anderson Valley that injured select new shoot growth. The summer months were mild, but we started to see the effects of the frost emerge - some uneven set, lower crop, and a slight delay in ripening. Labor Day weekend, most of California was held hostage to a brutal heat wave, with temperatures reaching 110F+. Luckily, Anderson Valley trails 2-3 weeks behind other growing regions, and the grapes were less impacted. Then two weeks later, we had rain. While we usually welcome rain other times of the year, the ambient moisture appearing just before harvest can result in mold or rot. We're lucky to have a talented vineyard crew that works with care and attention to detail, and the Maggy Hawk fruit made it into the winery safe & sound.

WINEMAKING

Due to the careful efforts in the vineyard, we were able to bypass the sorting line and send the grapes directly to the press. We utilized a "champagne" program on the press, which is a slower, gentler extraction of the juice from the grapes. The Pinot Noir juice was pressed directly to tank and allowed to settle overnight. It was then racked off the lees into neutral barrels. The juice was inoculated with multiple yeast strains to aid in aromatic and textural complexity and carried out its primary and malolactic fermentations in barrel. The wine spent 10 months ageing in neutral barrels, with no stirring. It was then racked to tank and blended just before it was bottled.

TASTING NOTES

Delicate and silky, with medium weight and acidity, this unique wine is plush. Spice and fruit aromas lead with chamomile, tarragon, apricot, pear, and white raspberry, while on the palate the acidity brings a lengthy, smooth finish.

HOW WE MAKE WHITE PINOT NOIR