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2014 Highlands Pinot Noir

Wine Specs

Vintage

2014

Varietal

Pinot Noir

Appellation

Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma Coast

Harvest Date

September 2-23, 2014

Aging

10 months in 100% French oak; 60% new

Bottling Date

July, 2015 - Unfined & Unfiltered

Alcohol %

13.5

Highlands cuvée is sourced from specific Fort Ross Vineyard blocks that are separately vinified to reveal the true expression of the terroir.

The Highlands cuvée is sourced from Pinot Noir vines that were the earliest vines planted by us in the gently rolling hills of the central highland portion of our vineyard. Enticing with its layered aromas of dark boysenberry and black cherry, this cuvée is framed with a subtle yet precise hint of spice and wild forest floor. The palate is supple, plush and texturally rich with dense and refined tannins, perfectly balanced with the bright minerality that is a signature of all wines from Fort Ross Vineyard. This wine is drinking beautifully now and will cellar for years to come.

Wine Profile

Tasting Notes

The ruby hue is an ideal prelude to the complexity of this exuberant wine, comprised of Calera and Pommard clones. Vibrant mixed berries, rose petals and fresh violet aromas soar with hints of bacon chiming in. There is a refined beauty in this intense yet elegant wine. The bright expressive palate of raspberry, boysenberry and dark juicy plum are elevated by the slight vanilla undertones. This wine has powerful tannins with great length on the palate and the eternal finish. This wine will continue to evolve gracefully for the next 8-12 years.

Vineyard Notes

2014 was the third year of bountiful harvests that again produced stellar wine of vibrancy and concentration. Protected from the drought by the late winter rains that quickly filled our pond, we could enjoy one of the few luxuries of being off the grid. As we train our grapes to grow on cordons, with evenly positioned buds that produce evenly placed shoots, we drop clusters that are not perfectly positioned. We worked through the vineyard three times to ensure that the bunches had optimal air circulation and sun exposure. The depth of flavor in the wines from this vintage reflect our meticulous handwork. August 17 marked the beginning of the harvest with picking a select block of Pinot Noir Dijon 777 for our Sparkling Wine. The remaining Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinotage ripened quickly and evenly and was harvested through September.

Winemaker Notes

Highlands is produced from grapes grown in the earliest planted Fort Ross Vineyard blocks found on the gently rolling hills of the central highland portion of the vineyard. The grapes were handpicked during the cool hours of the night in small two-gallon picking trays. After hand sorting, the fruit was 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 wine was then barreled in a combination of 60% new and 40% neutral French oak. Throughout vinification and 10 months of barrel aging, the clones and different vineyard blocks were kept separate to maintain their distinct flavor profiles, structural components in order to reveal the true expression of this unique terrior.