2001 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes
The aromas of this wine are, again, distinctly forward and multilayered. The clean brightness of fruit is what sets this vintage apart. A predominance of "red fruits" is accented by a touch of exotic East Indian spice and a "kiss" of well-seasoned French oak. The texture is plush and round with the underlying structure and acidity not becoming apparent until the late palate and finish. This Pinot was a joy to blend with it never ceasing to amaze us how the sum can be so much greater than the parts. And there were several parts! Five key vineyards and five minor ones were the sources for the blend this year; with two of the key vineyards being Camp Meeting Ridge and our new ranch off Fort Ross Road. The purity of this wine is what is so striking and reflects the preciseness and delineation of fruit that was a common denominator in many of the Pinot lots this vintage. Drinking surprisingly well for such a young wine, I believe this vintage will continue to evolve and improve over the next 3 years.
Vineyards
This wine is a blend of several Sonoma Coast vineyards including select blocks from our estate vineyard here on Camp Meeting Ridge as well as our new ranch off Fort Ross Road.
- Clones: The full spectrum of Pinot Noir clones is represented in this wine. Older traditional California selections such as Martini and Pommard are complemented by the more recently available Dijon clones (113, 114, 115, 667, 777) as well as low vigor selections massale from the Swan and Calera vineyards.
- Harvest: August 30 through September 26.
Winemaking
Fruit was fully destemmed with no crushing. Slightly shorter cold soaks (3-5 days), cooler fermentations (85-90° F), and fewer punchdowns (twice a day) were done this year, in order to adapt to the more delicate structure that this vintage gave us. Total skin contact ranged from 10-21 days with all fermentations being carefully basket pressed and put to barrel on full fermentation lees for ML. Sulfite levels were kept as low as possible during barrel aging to encourage tannin resolution and color stabilization. Racking was minimal with only one assemblage being done in the spring to allow the blend to "marry" in barrel for a few months before bottling. Fine lees were retained during the assemblage with the final blending occurring in mid-August via gentle inert gas pressure.
- Yeast/ML: Mostly native yeast and ML with only small lots conducted using cultured burgundy isolates.
- Cooperage: 40% new French oak.
- Time in barrel = 10-11 months.
Final bottling technical information
- pH: 3.58
- Total Acidity: 0.63 g/100 ml
- 14.2% alcohol
- Residual Sugar: 0.05 g/100ml
Bottled unfined and unfiltered in late August 2002; 2909 cases produced.