Nose

Bright red-fruit aromas of cherry and raspberry join intriguing notes of nutmeg, lavender and forest floor.

Palate

Full, rich body and well-structured tannins that lead to a long and elegant finish.

Growing Conditions

The Santa Nella Ranch is located at the western edge of the Russian River Valley Appellation. Here the proximity to the coast makes for a very cool climate that is moderated by the vineyard’s southeastern facing slope. The vineyard was first established in the 1880s and produced one of the first Russian River Pinot Noirs in 1957.

Bottling

Bottled November 2016.

Winemaking

Picked at the peak of their flavor the grapes had a sugar level of 26.2 ⁰Brix and 8.1 g/L TA. At the winery the fruit was destemmed into a stainless steel fermentation tank and underwent 4 days of cold soak prior to fermentation. After three weeks on the skins the young wine was pressed and the free run juice was racked twice before being placed into French oak barrels. After 14 months of aging on wood the best barrels of the lot were tasted and hand selected by the winemaker for the Single Vineyard Santa Nella Pinot Noir.

Aging

14 months in French oak barrels.