2022 Pinot Noir Special Selection

Generous, spicy oak nuances dress up delicious, concentrated fruit flavors in
this full-bodied, moderately tannic wine. Ripe and juicy black cherries, black plums
and black tea flavors marry with cinnamon, clove and vanilla from oak aging. The wine
is warm, inviting and seductive

After a particularly brief winter the 2022 growing season was a harmonious one and promises to be a great vintage for winemaking in Sonoma County. The season got off to an early start and a mild summer resulted in wonderful fruit across the county. Ideal temperatures right up to harvest coupled with a slightly below average crop size resulted in varieties ripening at similar times, making for a quick and fast-paced harvest of excellent quality. Great flavor development and acid preservation resulted in extremely balanced wines we can’t wait to share.

This vintage of Pinot Noir is made from estate-grown grapes from the Russian River Valley Appellation. The wine earns its name, Special Selection, from a rigorous barrel selection process. The winemaking team set out to find a distinct blend of barrels with the most elegant style expressed in the nose and pallet. The exercise began with over forty barrels of wine and as the team went barrel by barrel, eventually eight were designated to make the final blend of this Special Selection. Of the eight barrels, 50% were new French Oak and 50% neutral French Oak. The wine aged on the lees for sixteen months.

Roasted duck breast, mushroom risotto, smoked beets