Pinot Noir / Santa Maria Valley
This wine hails from Le Bon Climat Vineyard (40%) and Presqu’ile Vineyard (60%) in the Santa Maria Valley. Our selection at Le Bon Climat is Clone 115, which is favored for yielding complex and classic Pinot Noir traits that are uniquely shaped by the vineyard’s sandy loam soil and hillside exposure just south of the Santa Maria River. Presqu’ile
Vineyard is in a slightly cooler location, yielding fruit that is slightly darker and richer.Both vineyards exhibit traditional Pinot Noir qualities and similar structure, which is why they come together so well in the bottle.
Medium light, garnet in color. Raspberry and pomegranate red fruits show initially. This wine exhibits a touch of fresh, racy berry flavors with a hint of stem. On the palate the wine is still very young. It was fermented with 12 percent whole clusters, and it shows. It has medium body with red fruit flavors. The entry is soft and supple with a nice underlying firmness which the vintage provided. There is minimal impact from the oak; rather it offers a supple roundness. This wine will age nicely for five to eight years.
In general, the 2009 vintage provided wines that are slightly riper and richer, reflecting the abundant sunny growing conditions that were present during the season. This vintage yielded wines that can age gracefully and maintain beautiful balance.
Harvested: September 2 and September 4 at 23.8 average Brix Clone: 115 and 667 TA: 6.0 gm/L pH: 3.70 Alc. 13.9% Bottled: August 2010 Production: 142 Cases
A portion of the grapes from the Presqu’ile Vineyard were placed in the fermenters as whole clusters (representing 12 percent of the final blend), and the balance was destemmed into the same fermenters. The Le Bon Climat fruit was completely destemmed. The fermentation occurred in one-ton fermenters, with a five-day “cold soak” prior to inoculation with Aussmanshausen yeast. The must was basket pressed after 13 days on the skins. Secondary malolactic fermentation was completed later in November. The wine was aged in 100 percent French oak (Francois Frères V M+ and A M+; Seguin Moreau Chagny), of which 20 percent was new. The balance was aged in one- and two-year-old barrels. The wine was racked once prior to bottling.