Tasting notes
This 2021 Pinot Noir offers an enchanting experience. It combines the vibrant and tangy qualities of cranberry and blood orange with the richness of darker fruits, all beautifully complemented by the warm embrace of baking spice and vanilla. Its earthy mushroom notes add complexity, and its heavier mouthfeel gracefully holds weight and structure. This is a Pinot Noir that will leave a lasting impression and satisfy any wine connoisseur.
Technical information
Appellation
Carneros
Alcohol
14.9%
Winemaking
The Pinot Noir grapes were picked at optimum ripeness when color, flavor, and tannin were in sync. Once in the winery, the grapes were destemmed, followed by gentle fermentation in stainless fermenters to preserve the delicate nature of the varietal. To showcase the wine’s natural complexity, the Pinot Noir underwent malolactic fermentation, then was aged for 8 months in 100% French oak, 50% of which were new barrels.
Vintage
The 2021 growing season began early with abundant sunshine, leading to exceptionally high-quality fruit. Early rain followed by a lack of notable precipitation throughout the season created an ideal environment for our vineyards. Budbreak occurred in April, with flowering and blooming in May. Although the summer temperatures returned to normal, resulting in an early harvest, the lower yields due to drought conditions produced intensely flavored fruit with smaller berries. Harvest took place under clear skies from September to October, with some early rain. The grapes ripened optimally, allowing our winemakers to craft wines with fantastic character. These wines exhibit vibrant colors, intense aromas, perfect balance, and a lush profile highlighting the fruit.
Vineyard
Outstanding vineyard sources are the foundation for this wine. Carefully selected fruit from Grace Benoist Ranch allows our winemaker to craft the best expression of fine Pinot Noir. Unlike most of Carneros, which is largely uplifted San Pablo Bay bottoms with soils composed of clay, the soils at Grace Benoist Ranch are variations of soils influenced by volcanic origin. Combining these well-drained, rocky upland soils with the extreme western location closer to the Pacific Ocean and San Pablo Bay makes this site an ideal place to grow Burgundian varieties. The vineyard parcels at Grace Benoist Ranch conform to the various soil types and the changing contours of the Ranch topography. The Carneros area of Napa Valley, where this Pinot Noir is sourced, offers incredible growing conditions including cooler temperatures thanks to ocean breezes and morning fog but also long, warm, sunny days during the growing season.