2004 Pinot Noir
Ricci Vineyard, Los Carneros
Alcohol 15.0%  |  Total Acidity .57  |  pH 3.91
234 Cases Produced

Wine Notes [PDF]

Tasting Notes | This was an excellent Pinot Noir vintage, producing unusually rich, ripe flavored wines. Ricci Vineyard gave us a wine with a wonderfully complex nose of sweet earth and spices. This wine is silky and medium bodied on the palate, with subtle, layered flavors of black currant, plum, tobacco and a touch of dark chocolate. Understated in style, we suggest you enjoy this Pinot Noir with dishes such as broiled salmon, beef stew and roast pork loin.

Vineyard | In southern Carneros, not far from San Pablo Bay, the Ricci family tends their vineyard with a combination of expertise and intuition that comes only with experience. The family has a long history of farming in the region, which was once defined by pastureland and orchards. Today, Carneros is one of the world’s premier appellations for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Ricci Vineyard is distinguished by both its proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the Bay—the cooling influence of which encourages a long maturation for the grapes, resulting in fully ripe, intensely flavorful fruit.

Vintage | Warm weather jump-started the 2004 growing season, but cooler temperatures followed, promoting an extended spring bloom. Long bloom can affect the uniformity of red grapes, which in turn can cause clusters to ripen unevenly. In our vineyards, we green drop (remove grapes while they are still green) to balance the crop, promote uniformity and eliminate late ripening fruit at the end of veraison (when grape color changes). Summer was moderate without any heat waves, but by the end of July it was clear we could expect an early harvest. Unusually low humidity and high temperatures in late August and September sent grape sugar soaring before flavors had matured. But our growers were able to manage their vineyards so that by the end of September, we had harvested an outstanding vintage. With some of the best overall quality in years, the 2004 vintage produced grapes with ripe and well-developed flavors.

Winemaking | To capture the distinctive qualities of this Carneros vineyard in the final wine, we began by cold soaking the fruit for two to three days, after which the grapes were fermented in small batches and punched down by hand two to three times per day. The wine was bottled in August of 2006.

Benziger Farming Practices | At Benziger Family Winery, we are dedicated to winemaking that reveals the true character of the vineyard, the varietal and the vintage in certified-sustainable, -organically grown and -Biodynamic® wines defined by individuality and the passion of the people who make them. Through our commitment to natural farming and environmentally and socially responsible business practices, we strive for sustainability and the preservation of our Sonoma Mountain family winery for generations to come.

This wine was made with grapes grown by sustainable farming methods. (With the 2007 vintage, this wine will be certified sustainable.) Our sustainable philosophy promotes natural vineyard management, restoration of the land and biodiversity on the estate. We believe these practices result in wines that reflect the authentic flavors, aromas and character of the vineyard.