The Valley runs west to east, opening a gap in the coastal range, allowing the late afternoon ocean fog to roll in where it lingers until early morning. The surrounding hills trap the fog before it is dissipated in the wider Santa Ynez Valley. The fog cools the vines from the day’s summer heat and it is this combination of warm days and cool nights that gives the wine its complexity as well as providing acidity to give it structure.
VINIFICATION
36-60 gal. Oak Barrel. 34-130 gal. oak puncheons. 22% new oak. 100% malolactic fermentation. Harvest yields in 2017 were moderate due to a continuing drought. As a result low vigor canopies contributed to extremely high quality fruit. The resuting blend combines 7 different Pinot Noir clones from 9 different fermenters.
VARIETAL: 100% Pinot Noir
APPELLATION: SANTA RITA HILLS The Santa Rita Hills is a small appellation at the western end of the Santa Ynez Valley that has gained national recognition for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
TECHNICAL NOTES: Alcohol: 14.6% | pH: 3.47 Total Acid: .68 | Sugar: Dry Harvest Sugar: 23.4-25.9 Brix
TASTING NOTES
This wine benefits greatly from about an hour of decanting to allow the concentrated aromatic and flavor profiles to fully open up. The complexity of flavor found in this wine is a wonderful match with savory foods, grilled salmon, or mushrooms.
UPC# 0 87951 43401 6
12pk | 750ml