Winemaker's Notes
As a vintage, I would call this elegant and balanced with somewhat lower alcohol levels than average as flavors developed well at lower sugar contents. With the vintage’s later start to growing vines and cooler overall temperatures, I anticipated higher malic acid levels than normal, so I knew that the grapes should taste more appley and tart than usual at harvest. Then, down the road, after malolactic fermentation (which converts malic to lactic acid, which is half as chemically ‘strong’) the resulting wine would maintain freshness and appropriate acidic ‘angles’. Here is an article that discusses relative sensory perceptions of different organic wine acids separate from the chemical strength of each major organic acids found in wine and grapes.
On the nose, high toned, floral, rose-hips, aromas like bloomtime in the vineyard during late May/early June. What a fascinating echo of a sensory memory. In the mouth it is elegant and persistent, resonating with the flavors promised by the aroma: juicy, red beet and hibiscus, inner mouth perfume, slightly chewy at this early stage, it moves onto a long mouth-watering finish.
A product of cool harvest time conditions, this is a truly special rendition of Pinot Noir from this area. There’s generosity, for sure, but there are plenty of amazing aromatics at play here and a beautiful structural tension, reinforced by appropriate acidity acting with supple tannins to balance and create just enough tension to keep our attention.
Futures $432 per case (full cases only, $36/bottle). Estimated release price $56. Offer available until December 31, 2024 or until the futures allocation sells out. Futures Release date November 2026, general retail release date November 2027. About 500 cases to be produced.
