2020 Day Ranch

91 Points: Stacy Briscoe Wine Enthusiast - March 2023

“Delicate on the nose, this wine truly comes alive on the palate, opening to notes of wet stone, damp earth, fresh raspberries, red currant, red cherry, cranberry, wild strawberry, cacao and toasted wood. The texture offers corduroy-like tannins and a solid backbone of acidity that gives vivacity to the drinking experience.”

The season began with a warm winter, with no frost issues, and a mild spring that resulted in a nice, even fruit set. While the summer was quite warm, there were only a couple of short heat spikes, which ensured that the grapes were able to fully ripen while retaining the natural acidity we love. As a result, our crop was balanced and healthy, yielding wines with vibrant flavors and excellent depth and energy. Day Ranch Vineyard is planted to many different clones. We pulled fruit from Block 2.9, Block 2.11, and 2.18, which are planted to Clones 667, 115, and 91. Harvest occurred between September 17 and 26, 2020.

To make this wine, our love of exploration took us to another acclaimed coastal Northern California wine region, Mendocino County’s renowned Anderson Valley. Located just 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean, in the cool “Deep End” of the Anderson Valley, Day Ranch is planted on an alluvial terrace that abuts a mountainside. This wild, rustic terroir yields a complex and distinctive expression of Pinot Noir.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 14.30%
• cases made:

  1,032 Cases

• bottling date: 09/01/2021
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 24% new, 43% one-year-old

• fermentation:

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