Palate
Classic Carneros aromas of damp earth, wild strawberry, raspberry and baking
spices entice. The integrated tannins and nice acid highlight the beautiful fruit–
Rainier cherry and red plum—culminating in a long finish.
Growing Conditions
The Carneros AVA was an early pioneer in the production of Pinot Noir in
California, with Francis Mahoney, proprietor of Mahoney Vineyards, an
influential contributor to the study of Pinot Noir clones in the appellation .
Mahoney’s 30 years of clonal trials, and work with UC Davis, has helped him
to understand some of the hundreds of clonal variations, as well as develop his
own stellar vineyards. Las Brisas Vineyard, part of the Mahoney Estate,
translates to “the breezes” and sits on the Sonoma side of the appellation. It is
named for the winds that drive morning fog from the vineyards and bring in
cooling breezes in the late afternoon. The predominantly clay soils of Carneros
are shallow, this combined with the influences of the nearby San Pablo Bay,
yield remarkable fruit year after year.
Aging
Hand harvested and sorted then de-stemmed. 5-day cold
soak. Fermented separately by clone. Gentle pump-over and punch-downs
during fermentation. Lots combined to age 18 months in 100% French oak,
30% of which was new.
