Palate
A smoky aromatic backdrop to the wonderful cherry fruit aromas and flavors.
Growing Conditions
We are always interested in seeing what other growers would do with Pinot Noir. Louie Lucas grows Chardonnay for us and had planted a small acreage of Pinot Noir. It is interesting that Bien Nacido just across the Sisquoc River produces deeply colored very concentrated wines and this vineyard tends toward lighter wines with finesse and elegance.
Bottling
We usually bottle the wine in December of the following year, so at a minimum the wine spends 12 months in French Oak.
Winemaking
With Pinot Noir we take a minimal approach to wine making. Fermentations are carried out with as little manipulation as possible. We use a gentle crusher, one short pump-over per day and cool soak the grapes prior to the onset of fermentation.
Aging
Our aging program is always in French Oak barrels, which are heavily toasted during the bending of the staves.
Food Pairing
Because of the lighter style of this wine we tend to recommend foods, which are, light and not as intensely flavored. Salmon in dill sauce or rack of lamb work well with this wine. Try to avoid heavy sauces or reductions as these may cover some of the delicate flavor of this wine.
