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Mission Codename: Vino Ipsa loquitor

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Return to Peters Family Winery’s to retrieve their delicious Sonoma Stage Vineyard Pinot Noir

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Peters Family Winery

Wine Subject: 2008 Sonoma Stage Vineyard Pinot Noir

Winemaker: Douglas Peters

Backgrounder: Our Operatives loved the last Peter’s Family Pinot Noir that we featured, that we kept the winery under close surveillance to acquire their very special single vineyard Sonoma Stage Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir.

The Sonoma Coast AVA is the 750 square mile area with the Pacific ocean on its western boundary, the San Pablo Bay to the south and Mendocino County to the north, headed inland to the other designated AVAs in Sonoma County. The region is heavily influenced by the cooler ocean climate, increased rainfall and fog that lingers long on the coastal mountains. The specific climate suits the demanding Burgundian varietal of Pinot Noir very well.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look: Deep ruby red with a clear and dense heart of dark ruby red. Along the edges the color lightens ever so slightly to reveal red and ruby tints and when swirled fast evenly spaced thick legs are followed by slower color stained tears that hang on the side of the glass.

Smell – Deep and complex with bright red and black fruit including red and black cherry, raspberry and other red berries that are layered with notes of soft earth, vanilla toasted oak, exotic spice, and cola notes. Hints of floral violets, green herbs and mocha coffee adds further complexity.

Feel – Soft, smooth with a touch of spice that softens as this dry wine breathes. Full-bodied with finely textured tannins, balanced acidity and earthy minerality grasps the fruit and other flavors long into the finish.

Taste – Great red and black fruit flavors of black cherry, currants and raspberry lead off are immediately followed by vanilla toast and cola notes, exotic and peppery spice and earthy flavors and hints of tea as hints of oak and this wine’s floral and herbal notes linger.

Finish – This wine finishes medium-long and clean with its rich fruit, toasted vanilla, earth and spice fading gently and inviting another sip.

Conclusion – Once again we are impressed with this latest vintage from Douglas Peters. The 2008 Peters Family Winery Sonoma Stage Vineyard Pinot Noir is a delicious California Pinot that bridges the gap with a touch French Burgundy character. Great red fruit is framed by a solid but warm and generous texture. Pleasantly complex on the nose and palate and very approachable. Its acidity lends itself to to pairing with food, but to just sip and enjoy on its own. Enjoy it now or for the next three to five years. Let this wine open up for a bit to reveal all its great aromas and flavors.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Douglas Peters

WINE EDUCATION: Stanford University, BA

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Domaine Carneros, Trefethen Vineyards

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Make great wine!…by respecting and nurturing the natural processes at work in the vineyard and the winery.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “Vino ipsa loquitor”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 2003
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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT WHITE: Welcome back, Douglas. It is wonderful to continue to get to know you and your great wines. And, we are thrilled to be showing your Sonoma Stage Vineyard Pinot Noir today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

DOUG PETERS: You are welcome! I am happy to share this special pinot noir with your operatives.

WHITE: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

DOUG: Not a specific experience, but an accumulation of experiences tasting and sharing wines from around the world, which made me aware how wines, particularly great ones, can truly be a celebration of life and nature.

WHITE: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

DOUG: I always admired Baron Mouton Rothschild, Robert Mondavi, and many others who came after…

WHITE: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

DOUG: I love this Pinot Noir’s wonderful expression of classic pinot noir varietal character, and the terroir of the single vineyard site. The wine is a blend of the two clonal selections, Swan and Calera, planted in Sonoma Stage Vineyard. The grapes from each clone were separately hand-picked, fermented, and barrel aged for over two years before assemblage of the final blend. Due to the distinct differences between the clones, the grapes from each clone produce pinot noirs with distinctly different flavor and aroma profiles. As a result the final blend containing wines from both vineyard clones is very complex, yet beautifully balanced. It is lovely now in its youth, and I think it will evolve into an even more special wine in the cellar for many years to come.

WHITE: In your opinion, what makes the Sonoma Coast growing region so special?

DOUG: The Sonoma Coast appellation is ideally suited for pinot noir and chardonnay production, because of its proximity to the coast, and the beneficial effects of marine cooling, combined with ample sunny weather to achieve full ripeness. However, the Sonoma Coast appellation is very large, with numerous micro-climates, so it is important to note that the grapes for the PFW Pinot Noir are grown in the Petaluma Gap sub-appellation of the Sonoma Coast appellation. Located at the eastern edge of the Sonoma Coast appellation bordering Napa, the Petaluma Gap shares some of the best attributes of the neighboring Russian River and Carneros appellations as well as characteristics of the larger Sonoma Coast appellation..

WHITE: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

DOUG: With an empty glass!…and an open mind.

WHITE: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

DOUG: Cheers!

WHITE: Well said… Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The approximate location of the Peters Family Winery can be seen in this satellite photo.