The Vineyards
For the last several decades, Carneros has been recognized as one of the premier Pinot Noir producing appellations in California. Over 90% of the grapes for this bottling were sourced from our own estate vineyards in the Carneros region, located just north of the tip of the San Pablo bay, near the small Sonoma County town of Schellville. Here, the sandy, alluvial soils provide excellent drainage, while the marine influence of the bay provides perfect growing conditions for elegant Pinot Noir. During the summer, fog often blankets the vineyards in the early morning and late afternoon, cooling typical warm temperatures and allowing the grapes to ripen very slowly over the summer and autumn months. 91% came from the Marcucchi estate block planted with the Dijon clone 115, which is known for its deep ruby color, strawberry-like aromatics and plush tannins.
The Vintage
The 2006 vintage was vintage year producing a more “structured” Pinot Noir. Spring was a bit delayed from cool, wet weather through May. However, Pinot Noir did set a good crop. The summer was mild and foggier than usual, with a hot spell in late July. Tannin and acid levels were high going into Fall harvest, but the Marcucchi Vineyard ripened up earlier than usual. This vintage produced a more “Burgundian” sytle Pinot Noir that is built for more aging and development than past vintages. |
