Winemaker's Notes
Elegance is a virtue with Pinot Noir. Being an early ripening site, it is often the harbinger of the vintage character. Seeing an extended hot spell coming in 2017, we began to harvest Pinot Noir on the early leading edge of our normal picking zone. I am happy we were prompt in harvesting this vintage. Being too late could have caused the loss of verve and probably an even longer delay in harvesting due to scarcity of labor and sudden, immense demand for pickers as the heat spell became more pronounced than forecast. Pretty red-fruit, menthol, and fresh loam notes on the aroma, what follows is a lovely, lively, mouth-watering experience. Besides being a tasty whippersnapper, this wine has great promise for long-term development. Formulas for winemaking work when the conditions fit those in which the formula was developed. When they are different, so should the approach be changed. Because conditions change at least a little every year, I am opposed to relying on formulas. This makes it easy for me to adapt to a given vintage. I am really happy with this expression of this fine site.
