2007 Weir Vineyard Pinot Noir
Winemaker's Notes
Aromas of ripe Bing cherries, sweet herbs, rose water, earth and minerals dominate the bouquet entirely in this vintage. Concentrated flavors of cherries, strawberry, and cola are complemented by the rich, extracted grape and oak tannin in the finish. The 2007 is much more complex than past vintages. As this vineyard continues to mature, it is finally showing its true expression of the unique terroir of the site.
—Winemaker Bob Cabral
Scores & Reviews
| Points | Publication | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 94 | Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar | May-June 2009 |
| 92 | Wine Enthusiast | February 2010 |
The Vineyard
The Weir Vineyard is located near Yorkville in Mendocino County. Seven acres are planted on a south-facing slope of a steep old sheep ranch. The altitude is just under 1,000 feet, and the climate is classic warm days and cool nights. Weir Vineyard is planted with two primary clones: Romanee-Conti and Wadenswil 2-A. The vines are cane pruned with vertical shoot positioning, and plant density of 1,000 vines per acre.
Harvest 2007
The 2007 vintage has produced wines of extremely high quality, wines that are each brilliant expressions of their sites. The growing season was distinguished by its evenness with a cool finish. Bud break was at the usual time around the first part of March. A few frost days that Spring were of little concern as the vines grew at an orderly pace. Berry set was somewhat interrupted with light winds causing a small amount of shatter and unpollenated berries. The summer months were characterized by warm, sunny, near-perfect weather with very few heat spikes during the fruit ripening stage of the vine growth cycle. This resulted in very uniform ripening and optimal development of intense varietal flavors, aromas and expression. Moderately warm mid-August weather accelerated ripening and culminated in a Labor Day weekend of near perfect sunshine that launched a methodical and even paced harvest of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ready for picking. By late September, fog returned and the cool weather prevailed, temporarily stalling harvest, slowing the accumulation of sugar, and allowing phenolics and flavors to continue to develop in pace with the sugars. The break from the heat permitted the rest of the fruit to be picked at a gentle pace, at peak flavor and optimal maturity. Small berries delivered wines dark in color with exceptional concentration of flavors, aromas and ripe tannins. The wines of 2007 convey their unique characters in a manner more vivid, precise and evocative than we have come to anticipate. In a decade of exceptional vintages, this one really stands above all others.
Technical Notes
| Barrel Description: | 60% new, 40% 1-year-old |
|---|---|
| Barrel Aged: | 15 months |
| pH: | 3.51 |
| TA: | 0.59g/100ml |
| Alc.: | 14.3% |
| Release Date: | Fall 2009 |
| Release Price: | $56 |