This wine displays an opulent, dense purple-red color and classic Russian River Valley aromas of blackberry, bramble, raspberry, and boysenberry that meld with notes of toasty oak and cocoa. On the palate, a burst of juicy black cherry and baking spice flavors make this wine vibrant and exciting, with soft, velvety tannins underscoring the dramatic fruit as it builds to a long, luscious 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. A three-day cold soak with daily pump-overs allowed us to extract color and tannin prior to fermentation. We then inoculated with select yeast strains that slowly built heat to produce aromatic compounds. In order to capture those compounds the fermentations were kept at cool temperatures. Wines were pressed off skins after a minimum fermentation of 14 days before being aged for 10 months in French oak barrels, 33% of which were new, with 33% being once filled. We bottled on August 1st, 2023.
The 2022 vintage was impacted by a third consecutive year of drought that resulted in a reduction in yields from 10-30%. The growing season was temperate, which in grape growing means we were on track, or ahead of normal growth. Then we saw some heat spikes that prompted our first picks. We hand-harvest the grapes in the cool evening hours of September 5th, 2022.
The grapes for this Pinot Noir came from Manzana Vineyard, which is farmed by the renowned Dutton Family. The Dutton’s have been growing grapes in Sonoma County—specifically the Russian River Valley—for generations. Because they are known for their meticulous farming and consistent quality vintage after vintage, their fruit is highly prized. Manzana is located in Green Valley, a sub-appellation of the Russian River Valley known for its cool temperatures. For Pinot Noir, this unique climate results in deeper colors and intense aromatics. The best barrels from Manzana Vineyard were used to make this wine, with each specifically selected for its unique and ideal traits.
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