2006 Pinot Noir Reserve

We were so excited about the quality of our 2006 Pinot Noir harvest that we decided to handpick “the best of the best” among the grapes and set them aside for a very special wine — our first Pinot Noir Reserve. After aging the wine for 18 months in the finest French oak barrels (Francois Freres), we are absolutely delighted with the result. This sensual wine has a delicate, floral nose that gives way to a robust, full-flavored Pinot Noir, dominated by dark cherry, blackberry and plum flavors.

We source our grapes for this wine from Serendipity Vineyard in northern Monterey County, directly across the valley from the famed Santa Lucia Highlands. It’s an area noted for chilly winds and rocky soils, making it perfect for producing the very best Pinot Noir grapes. Even in the warmest summers, the fog and wind from Monterey Bay keep temperatures lower, allowing for a longer growing season, which in turn encourages the grapes to ripen with deeper colors and richer flavors.

Méthode: The 2006 growing season was mild, allowing the Pinot Noir grapes to slowly mature to a uniform ripeness. This extra “hangtime” is a critical element in crafting the very best wine. The berries were harvested in early October, nearly two weeks later than the 2005 vintage, and were immediately field crushed. We then transported them back to the winery in small white bins to retain maximum freshness. The must was allowed to spontaneously ferment in three-quarter ton batches. Cold fermentation and multiple punch-downs per day maximized color and flavor extraction. The complete fermentation took 22 days.