Description
Vineyard: 2012 was our fourth vintage sourcing fruit from the Ridgetop Vineyard, owned and managed by Thomas Rivers Brown and Fred Schrader. Ulises Valdez cares for the vineyard with precise attention to detail and meticulous farming practices demanded by this extreme site. Ridgetop is located in the remote coastal mountains along the northern Sonoma Coast near Annapolis. Surrounded by redwoods at approximately 1100 feet above the Pacific, the salty sea air and ocean breezes are ever present, with thick fog receding each day to present ideal ripening conditions for Pinot noir. The vines produce miniscule yields each vintage with concentrated flavors, provocative aromatics, and silky texture as they struggle to grow in Goldridge Loam soils and a collection of old silt, sandstone, and remnants of ancient seabed. Clones 115, 667 and 777 were again blended from separately fermented lots to produce this wine with feminine red fruit aromas overlaying a bold strength and complexity at its core.
Winemaking:
• 100% Destemmed Pinot noir
• Open-top fermentation
• Native yeast
• 50% new French oak
• Bottled Unfined & Unfiltered
