1999 Pinot Noir, Sonoma County
Vintage
1999
Price
$21
Release Date
November 2001
Appellation
Sonoma County
Availability
Select Markets Nationally
Vineyards
- Sonoma Valley - Little Vineyard
- Alexander Valley - Sterling
- Santa Maria Valley - Bien Nacido Vineyards
- Carneros - Sangiacomo, Alta Vista
Grapes
Pinot Noir
Vintage
1999 will be remembered as cold and dry, for the most part. We did see some hot weather but much less than normal. We had good weather for bud-break and bloom, which helped insure a good set. Because of the late season we employed a number of techniques including; judicious irrigation during the summer to control growth and crop thinning after verasion to aid in ripening. As we entered mid September (latest ever), we prayed for heat and got it. Once harvest began in earnest in late September things went very quickly, by October 23rd it was effectively over.
Vinification
The lots of grapes were culled from these five vineyards and each was matched individually to the size and shape fermenter best suited to its development. All lots were cold soaked to extract maximum flavor with minimum tannin. Punch down and pump over routines were monitored and altered daily through the 8-13 day fermentation. The wine, still maintained in separate lots, was rushed to French oak shortly after pressing to finish secondary fermentation and was stirred weekly to intermittently to build middle mouthfeel and velvety texture. The wine received a total of 15 months barrel aging. The individual lots were blended, then bottled in March, 2001. Alcohol: 13.5%, total acidity: .68, pH: 3.63, residual sugar: .06. Cases produced: 3,126.
Tasting Notes
Aromas are of raspberry, herbs and spicy oak. The flavors are of strawberry, rhubarb and rich vanilla. Overall impression is of intensely ripe fruit. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, creamy and velvety. The flavors carry through to a long finish.