2017 Mindego Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir
$48
100% estate grown, single vineyard Pinot Noir from our 8.7 acre home vineyard, 8 miles from the Pacific in the Santa Cruz Mountains. To preserve the beauty and nuance of this ocean-influenced, cool climate mountain vineyard, our Pinot Noir is made in small lots by non-interventionist methods – hand sorting, native yeast fermentation, hand punch downs. Aged for 11 months in ¼ new, ¾ neutral French oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Beautiful drinkability now, with exciting cellaring potential. 13.5% Alcohol. 852 cases produced.
Acclaim For This Bottle
“The 2017 Pinot Noir is striking. Succulent dark cherry, plum, sage, menthol and rose petal are some of the many notes that open up in the glass. The 2017 is beautifully lifted, yet deep, with veins of supporting acidity and structure that carry through to the finish, where chalk, white pepper, and blood orange top notes add brightness. A good bit of stems (40%) add aromatic breadth and complexity without overpowering the wine” 93 Points. -Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Technical Notes
In The Vineyard
Our 2017 growing season began with near normal rainfall levels for our site ending a five-year drought. Soils were replenished and cover crops grew well providing nutrients to the soil and vigor to the vines. A late August/early September heat spell impacted many California regions in late summer, speeding up harvest schedules and requiring extra vigilance. Despite consecutive days of near triple digit temps, our site proximity to the Pacific mitigated the threat of over ripening with nighttime temperatures consistently cooling down to the 50s.
In The Cellar
To preserve the character of both the vineyard and vintage, our Pinot Noir is made in small lots with minimal intervention in the cellar. Gentle de-stemming, with the addition of 40% whole cluster and no SO2 on the crushpad. Whole berries are cold-soaked until native fermentation begins, then given daily punchdowns. After approximately two weeks on skins, wine is gently basket-pressed to barrel. Wine completed native ML fermentation February 25th. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Data
Appellation: Santa Cruz Mountains
Winemaker: Ehren Jordan
Acreage: 8.7 acres Pinot Noir, 100% Estate Grown
Exposure & Slope: South facing mountain slopes, 20-25%
Soil Type: 10-18” of silty clay loam over fractured shale subsoil
Marine Influence: 9 miles from the Pacific, adjacent to redwoods
Elevation: 700’ to 950’
Clone Selection: Dijon (114, 115, 667, 777, 828, 943)
Rootstock Selection: 420A and 3309
Vine Spacing: 7’ x 4’ (1600 vines/acre)
Harvest: September 7-18, 2017
Barrel Regimen: French Oak, François Frères, 25% new
Barrel Aging: 11 months
Finished Alcohol: 13.5%
Chemistry @ Harvest:
23.2 – 23.8 Brix
3.57 pH
6.4 g/L titratable acidity
Bottled: August 2018
852 cases produced
