2006 Sonoma County Pinot Noir
Winemaker's Notes
The aromas of Bing cherries, wild berry fruits, root beer, mocha and rose petal begin your journey. The affluent, round tannins allow this medium-bodied wine to exemplify flavors of pie cherries, plum, earth, sassafras, fennel and burnt caramel that were seen in the 2006 vintage. Much of the fruit is from Westside Road vineyards, and the higher natural acidity helps the clean, lingering finish to end with hints of berry pie.
—Winemaker Bob Cabral
The Vineyards
The pinot noir for this blend was sourced from our Drake Estate Vineyard and from the Bucher Vineyard.
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: | 24% new, 48% 1-year-old, 28% 2-year-old |
|---|---|
| Barrel Aged: | 10 months |
| pH: | 3.51 |
| TA: | 0.58g/100ml |
| Alc.: | 13.9% |
| Release Date: | Spring 2008 |
| Release Price: | $34 |