2006 Allen Vineyard Pinot Noir
Winemaker's Notes
Bright Bing cherries, strawberries, rose petal and dried nutmeg/ginger aromas. Concentrated cherry/wild strawberry flavors cleanly coat the palate, but with a firm presence. The berry fruit flavors are complemented by a crème brûlée-like silky texture that finishes long. Most of this fruit comes from blocks planted back in 1970, with two newer blocks (planted within the last 10 years) contributing to the blend as well.
—Winemaker Bob Cabral
The Vineyard
The Allen Pinot Noir Vineyard surrounds our winemaking facility. This Russian River Valley hillside vineyard was planted in the early 1970's, and produces low yields of exceptional quality Pinot Noir.
Harvest 2006
The 2006 grape growing season was characterized by weather extremes. The unusually cool and wet weather of the early spring caused a late start to the 2006 Harvest. Challenged by the prolonged and excessive July heat spikes followed by more moisture, the vines required attentive care. Cool coastal weather returned in August, mitigating the effect of the hot summer and permitting a long hang time for optimal fruit maturity and a controlled pace for ideal picking. Grape clusters were unusually large, resulting in a generous crop load.
Winemaking for the vintage was focused on meticulous fruit sorting and concentrating flavors, resulting in wines of fullness and length. Our Pinot noirs across growing regions have fruitiness of intensity and purity; our Russian River Zinfandels are ripe and typically powerful; our Russian River Chardonnays are particularly aromatic and finely structured.
Technical Notes
| Barrel Description: | 71% new, 29% 1-year-old |
|---|---|
| Barrel Aged: | 16 months |
| pH: | 3.47 |
| TA: | 0.61g/100ml |
| Alc.: | 14.1% |
| Release Date: | Fall 2008 |
| Release Price: | $78 |