Nose
Pretty but concentrated aromas of rose petal, dark cherries, cocoa, anise and cardamom.
Palate
Sweet cherry and plum
entry with a zesty mid palate reminiscent of baking spices, leading into an opulent, elegant, lingering finish.
Growing Conditions
Carneros is known for its loam and clay soils and a mixture of flat land and
rolling hillsides, which has the reliable marine fog that rolls in every evening and burns
off mid-morning.
A warm Spring led to early bud break and bloom, while a cold May reduced fruit set
and kept yields in check. Final ripening happened at a steady state and contributed to
an early harvest with high fruit quality.
Clones: Swan, Pommard, Dijon 115, 667 and 777
Harvest
With little pressure due to weather, we were able to spread our harvest over
a 30 day period. After night harvesting, the Pinot Noir fruit arrives at Saintsbury within the hour of its
pick.
Winemaking
The clusters are sorted and into small open-top fermentation for gentle punch
down.
Aging
8 months in 15% new French Oak barrels.