Rating:
94
Robert Parker - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"The 2014 Pinot Noir Estate from Sonoma Mountain is made largely from California Heritage selections, in addition to Wadenswil. It was 100% destemmed and aged 22 months in 100% new French oak. This is a sexy, complex Pinot Noir with notes of forest floor, spring flowers, blackcurrant and black cherry. The wine is deep, medium to full-bodied, youthful and exuberant. This is impressive, and no doubt destined to fly under the radar, given the small production and the fact that this estate is not terribly well known."
Product Description:
2014 PINOT NOIR | Estate Vineyard
SONOMA MOUNTAIN | SONOMA COUNTY
VINEYARD Planted at a dense 2,420 vines per acre (3
ft between vines, 6 ft vine rows) on a gentle north-
facing slope. Perched at 1000’ elevation on the NW-
face of Sonoma Mountain at the far western edge of
the AVA. Planted, 2009.
PRODUCTION 175 cases
VARIETAL 100% Pinot Noir. An assortment of
Heritage selections: Wadenswil, Beba, Rochioli, Calera,
Mt Eden
CRUSH night harvested by hand in 2 passes—9/9 and
9/16—hand-sorted, fully destemmed, no crushing
FERMENT 7-day cold soak. 5-8-day fermentation in
open-top bins. Daily punchdowns, with as many as
four at the peak of fermentation. Three distinct clonal
co-ferments were carried out to enhance complexity.
AGING 22 months new French oak. Not racked prior
bottling. Bottled unfined, unfiltered.
NOTES Vines are tended to a meager yield each year due to clonal
selection, inter-vine competition and aggressive vine-by-vine farming
management. What arrives in the glass is a full-throttle expression of
mountain-side, Heritage-selection Pinot Noir flavors—a tendency
toward black fruit, accented by streaks of forest floor, clove spice and
white flowers. These wines provide both depth and intensity, framed by
a structure built to evolve in the cellar. A no-holds barred Pinot Noir.
The mosaic on our Estate Vineyard labels is comprised of the four runes
representing the original elements — earth, fire, water and spirit — the
four pillars of winegrowing.