Inspiration
I’ve had the privilege of making wine from the famed Sanford & Benedict
Vineyard since 1985. The exceptional wines I have been able to produce from this iconic vineyard continue to inspire me.
The Harvest
The growing season and harvest of 2015 was very similar to that of 2014, with warmer temperatures that resulted in unusually early harvest dates. In fact, the grapes for this year’s wine were harvested on August 26th - the same date as in 2014.
Winemaking
The grapes were 100% destemmed and crushed into a small open-top fermenter. After cold soaking for three days the must was inoculated with yeast to start fermentation. Nine days later, the wine was pressed off, settled in a tank, and then racked to French oak barrels for aging. Approximately 33% of these barrels were new. The wine aged for 14 months before it was fined, lightly filtered and bottled in January 2017.
The Wine
The wine has a medium dark garnet color. The aromas are a mix of spicy
perfume, dried fruit and hint of toasted oak. On the palate this Pinot Noir is full bodied, with a rich extracted structure and flavors of ripe plums accented with nutmeg, cinnamon and vanillin. The tannins are finely structured and the
acidity is moderately elevated, both factors that indicate the wine will benefit from extended cellaring. I recommend decanting this wine for an hour before serving to allow it to open up.
Food Pairings
Enjoy this powerful Pinot Noir with fine cuts of beef, spring lamb and duck with cherry sauce.
Rick Longoria, Winemaker
November 1, 2017
