Nose
Alluring aromas of black cherry, red currant, raspberry compote, anise and sweet baking spices.
Palate
On the palate, silky tannins and excellent underlying structure support lush, flowing flavors of cherry and pomegranate
that glide to a lingering vanilla and wild berry finish.
Growing Conditions
Nestled in the cool, foggy hills above the Russian River Valley in Western Sonoma County, Dutton Ranch has earned a reputation as one of the appellation’s preeminent Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards. Our Pinot Noir blocks are perfectly located on an east-facing slope with shallow soils and full sun exposure.
Harvest
While cool weather during flowering resulted in light clusters and a smaller crop, the overall quality of the 2015 vintage was exceptional. Knowing that yields would be down, we tailored our farming to ensure that we brought out the very best in the grapes. This included methods designed to create homogenous ripening, as well as techniques that limited canopy growth, while providing ideal dappled sunlight on the fruit. A lovely temperate summer allowed the fruit to ripen slowly, while an unhurried harvest ensured that everything was picked perfectly ripe, with pristine grapes showing beautiful depth and complexity.
Winemaking
Grapes from the 2015 vintage were fermented using a combination of punch-downs and pump-overs, with wild yeast, as well as select strains from Burgundy.
Aging
The wine was aged for 11 months in French oak barrels.
