2018 Olivet Lane

94 Points: Virginie Boone Wine Enthusiast - December 2021

Superb; a great achievement “High acidity leads the way to a lively, fresh palate of grapefruit, kiwi and lemon in this lengthy, textured white. Impressive from start to finish, it shows a nice integration of oak and tannin, with hints of baking spice, flint and stone.”

The 2018 growing season began with warm winter weather, before things turned cool and rainy in February, which prevented an early budbreak. While the rains continued, things warmed up again in March, providing ideal nutrients and growing conditions for the vines. From June onwards the weather was lovely and temperate, with sunny days and cool nights ensuring excellent flavor development and acid retention in the grapes. As harvest drew near, the weather turned warm providing a final push to ripeness. We hand-harvested the grapes exactly when we wanted to in the cool evening hours of September 20, 2018.

Planted by the Pellegrini family in 1975, today, Olivet Lane is managed by the fourth generation of the family to be involved in winegrowing. The vineyard, which is named for the mature olive trees at the property entrance, is located in the Santa Rosa Plain neighborhood of the Russian River Valley, on an undulating benchland of well-drained, gravelly, clay loam soil. The foundation of this wine is the coveted Martini selection, a heritage clone that has played a key role in some of California’s greatest Pinot Noirs.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 13.40%
• cases made:

  3 Barrels | 86 Cases

• bottling date: 07/26/2019
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 29% new, 29% once-used

• fermentation:

  Gently desteemed into open-top fermenters; three day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs