2009 Olivet Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir
Winemaker's Notes
Like any long time friend we all tend to show some age. In this case, this “friend” has developed into a much more complex wine than I ever remember! Perfumed maraschino cherries, strawberry jam, dried spices and cola present a matured sexiness now to this wine. Intense cherry/ wild raspberry flavors end up surrounded by silky tannins and toasty oak. Many of you barrel tasted the 2010 vintage at our Spring Release Pick Up Party and this wine is almost a mirror image—that I believe will age more gracefully.
—Winemaker Bob Cabral
Scores & Reviews
| Points | Publication | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 91 | Wine Spectator Insider | December 7, 2011 |
The Vineyard
Located on the western benchlands of the Santa Rosa Plain, the Olivet Lane Vineyard is one of the oldest vineyards in the Russian River Valley. It was planted in 1975 by the Pellegrini family, with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines exclusively.
Harvest 2009
2009 produced magnificent wines, to rival those of 2007, expressing the individuality of the sites on which they were grown with intense flavors and perfumed aromas.
Following the hardships of the 2008 growing season, late winter and spring of 2009 were unseasonably warm with little precipitation. Bud break occurred early March and unlike 2008, frost was not a problem. Berry set was even, benefitting from ideal daytime temperatures around 70F-75F, despite early May rains. Some bunch-stem necrosis was evident on our vineyards, resulting in loss of yields.
The summer months were characterized by cooler than average weather, aided by morning fog, with very few heat spikes during the fruit ripening stage of the vine growth cycle. This resulted in intense flavor and aroma development, good acidity and phenolic development in tune with sugar accumulation. Warmer weather in late August ensured optimal ripeness culminating in harvest commencing in earnest by the Labor Day weekend. A warm September ensured that all Pinot Noir (Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Central Coast), Zinfandel and Chardonnay were picked before the mid-October rains that played havoc with later ripening varieties. Moderate yields delivered wines of exceptional color, flavors, and aromas with balanced acidity and tannins.
As in 2007, the wines convey their unique characters in a vivid, precise and evocative manner. The 2009 vintage is one of the finest I have experienced in my 31 vintages at a commercial winery.
Technical Notes
| Barrel Description: | 67% new, 33% 1-year-old |
|---|---|
| Barrel Aged: | 15 months |
| pH: | 3.45 |
| TA: | 0.62g/100ml |
| Alc.: | 14.1% |
| Release Date: | Fall 2011 |
| Release Price: | $75 |