From its deep, inky purple color to its gorgeous aromas of black cherry, sweet tobacco leaf, plum, and baking spices, this is a dazzling Carneros PinotNoir. On the palate, it is lush and supple, with velvety tannins underscoring vibrant flavors of blackberry, spice, and subtle French oak, all of which carry through to a bright, soft, and long-lasting finish.
The fruit was gently destemmed into small open-top fermenters, using state-of-the-art equipment and procedures to avoid any pumping of the must. Inoculation with select yeast strains followed a three-day cold soak, and the caps were managed with a combination of pump-overs and punch-downs. The wine was put into French oak barrels, with 30% new oak. After 10 months of aging, the wine was bottled on August 9th, 2016.
The 2015 vintage got off to an early start and delivered fairly warm weather throughout the growing season. While overall yields were extremely low, the quality was exceptional, with the grapes showing amazing concentration. With no threat of rain in sight, we hand harvested the grapes exactly when we wanted to in the cool evening hours of September 2nd, 2015.
The grapes for this Pinot Noir came exclusively from Glass House Vineyard, which is named for the striking modern home tucked in the middle of the vineyard. GlassHouse is located on the western edge of Carneros, where it is strongly influenced by the onshore winds that channel through the Petaluma Gap. It also features volcanic soils that contribute to the dense color and demeanor of this wine.