Dense and garnet in hue, this full-bodied Pinot Noir entices with aromas of black currants and orange pekoe tea, framed by touches of earthy mushroom, cola, and savory hints of sage. The elegant aromatics lead to a complex palate defined by black raspberry, juicy boysenberry and bramble berries, with hints of subtle citrus and a dash of winter spices. Refined, supple tannins and the Fort Ross Vineyard signature minerality are revealed through the layered, velvety finish. While this wine deserves to be decanted, it truly develops in the glass.
95 POINTS "EDITOR'S CHOICE" - WINE ENTHUSIAST - August 2010 Issue
A beautiful Pinot Noir for drinking now with lamb chops or maybe a rich, exotic Ahi tune tartare. Brilliantly crisp in acidity, with a clean, bracing mouthfeel, it offers dazzingly rich flavors of raspberries, cherries, orange zest, Dr Pepper cola and Asian spices with a smoky oak adding elaborate tiers of vanilla char. For the price, it's a very great buy. -SH
91 POINTS - WINE SPECTATOR
A rich, layered style, with firm, intense black cherry, plum and wild berry flavors that are full-bodied, intense and complex, ending with a long, persistent finish. Drink now through 2017. -JL
http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/42934
2007 Pinot Noir Fort Ross Vineyard Tech Sheet
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
Dense and garnet in hue, this full-bodied Pinot Noir entices with aromas of black currants and orange pekoe tea, framed by touches of earthy mushrooms, cola, and savory hints of sage. The elegant aromatics lead to a complex palate defined by black raspberry, juicy boysenberry and branble berries, with hints of subtle citrus and a dash of winter spices. Refined, supple tannins and the Fort Ross Vineyard signature minerality are revealed through the layered, velvety finish. While this wine deserves to be decanted, it truly develops in the glass.
Winemaker Notes
The grapes for this Pinot Noir were handpicked during the cool hours of the night in 5 gallon buckets. After hand sorting, the fruit was destemmed and cold soaked for several days and fermented in a combination of 5 and 10 ton tanks. The caps were punched down 1 or 2 times per day, depending on the stage of the fermentation. The wines were then barreled in a combination of 30% new and 70% used French oak. Throughout the 10 months of barrel aging, the clones and different vineyard blocks were kept separate to maintain their distinct flavor profiles and structural components as blending elements. The wine was bottled unfiltered.
Other Notes
2007 was a long, cool growing season, providing the ideal conditions for berry development. Our proximity to the ocean and its cooling effects saved us from a heat spike that affected inland areas much more severely. All Pinot Noir blocks were picked mid-September through the beginning of October, based on optimal physiological ripeness. The vines were balanced, the yields were small, and the concentration of flavor was excellent this year.
