2009 PINOT NOIR

A bright red-purple color, our inaugural Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir opens with wild strawberry and raspberry aromas, complemented by background notes of violet, clove, vanilla, and molasses. Classic earthy, underbrush character unfolds on the palate, along with pomegranate and raspberry fruit. The fleshy, full-bodied mouthfeel adds depth to the fruit flavors, while a touch of tart acidity keeps the wine fresh and vibrant. Moderate tannins lead into a lingering finish with cranberry and cinnamon nuances.

THE WINEMAKING

This Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is sourced from two of the Sangiacomo Family Vineyards along Lakeville Highway, stretching from the town of Sonoma to nearby Petaluma. This narrow corridor is locally known as the Petaluma Gap, a sub-region that benefits from cool fog carried in from a 15-mile-wide gap in the coastal range mountains. These two vineyard blocks, Fedrick block and Herzog block, give us approximately 35 tons of hillside fruit and 60 tons of valley floor fruit. Picked at just under 26° Brix, the grapes were crushed and cold macerated on the skins for three days before starting fermentation, extracting deeper color and flavor from the skins. In addition, we pitched a classic Pinot Noir yeast called Aspenhousen, a unique strain of yeast that produces a high amount of esters, boosting aromatics. From the vineyard to the bottling line, Winemaker Greg Kitchens loves working with fruit from the Sangiacomos. Into its third generation of grapegrowers, the Sangiacomo family does an excellent job of maintaining their vineyards and ensuring that the canopies provide just the right amount of dappled sunlight for the grape clusters.

FOOD PAIRING

This complex Pinot Noir will pair well with a wide variety of foods. Enjoy a glass with thin slices of Manchego (a bright, hard, sheep milk cheese), dried fruit, and walnuts. It will also go well with a cedar plank salmon, wild game such as quail, or a flavorful Portobello mushroom salad.

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