2006 Flax Vineyard Pinot Noir
Winemaker's Notes
The aromas of blackberry, boysenberry cobbler, cola and white truffles come to life in the glass. Rich, silky and broad tannins harmonize the focus of berry and spicy flavors across your palate. The depth and intensity of this wine warrants further cellaring.
—Winemaker Bob Cabral
The Vineyard
The Flax Vineyard is located just south of our winemaking facility, in the Russian River Valley. Three blocks totaling 9 acres make up this unique vineyard. Planted in 1996, the UCD4 (Pommard) clonal selection on 3309P rootstock seems to have found a home in the fractured sandstone soils of this region.
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: | 69% new, 31% 1-year-old |
|---|---|
| Barrel Aged: | 16 months |
| pH: | 3.51 |
| TA: | 0.58g/100ml |
| Alc.: | 14.2% |
| Release Date: | Fall 2008 |
| Release Price: | $54 |