12.6

2013 was an excellent vintage, marked by a sunny and mild growing season. A warm spring allowed for an early bud break, and we enjoyed a beautiful summer with warm weather and very little rain. A period of rain in late September prolonged what had promised to be a hot, truncated growing season. A subsequent period of cool, dry weather through October allowed the grapes additional hang time, and harvest began in earnest in early October. Though the late rains rattled everyone’s nerves, the grapes weathered them in good condition and benefited from the additional hang time. The 2013 vintage is characterized by balance, with moderate alcohol and acidity levels allowing an elegant expression of the rich, ripe flavors gleaned from the warm summer.

The fruit was 100% destemmed with a high percentage of whole berries to 1.5 ton fermenters. An average of four day cold soak ensured gentle yet thorough extraction of color and flavor. The small lots were fermented with BRG, BGY, 71B, and wild strain yeasts for an average of seven days and hand punched two to three times daily. The wine was aged twelve to sixteen months in mixed two year old French cooperage before being blended and bottled. This wine was minimally processed from free run juice without fining or filtration.

A barrel selection from four exceptional vineyards in the Eola Hills, the 2013 Selection Pinot Noir is an elegant expression of its vineyard sites and the vintage

A fine garnet color in the glass, the wine opens with vibrant aromas of fresh black cherries, forest floor, and baking spices. A savory note of blackcurrant and driftwood smoke on the palate is punctuated by a bright midline of terroir-driven acidity and filled in by classically fine tannins. The finish is long and resonant, with notes of cranberry and salted caramel. Exceptional now, we believe it will continue to evolve for at least a decade.