12.7

The fruit was 100% destemmed with a high percentage of whole berries to 1.5 ton fermenters. Cold soak lengths of an average of seven days ensured gentle yet thorough extraction of color and flavor. The small lots were fermented for an average of twelve days, and hand punched two to three times daily. The wine was aged eighteen months in mixed French cooperage two to three years old before being blended and bottled. This wine was bottled without fining or filtration

100% Zielinski Vineyard own-rooted Pommard, planted 1975. Elevation 650 feet, Jory soils.

A cool early spring delayed bud break slightly, but warm weather helped the grapes catch up in time to bloom right on schedule in mid-to-late June. While the summer was warmer and quite a bit drier than usual, temperatures topped out in the low to mid-nineties with few extreme heat spikes, setting up a balanced year with great concentration. We picked the grapes in late September and early October, following a pleasant string of warm days tempered by cool nights in the late summer and early fall. This weather pattern allowed for development of complex fruit flavors and the retention of fresh, vibrant acidity that we feel will set this classic vintage apart from a string of other recent ripe vintages

Vivid aromatics of black cherry, wild iris,
and sweet earth. On the palate, dense,
concentrated notes of cassis and baking
spices wrapped around fine river stone
tannins and a plush core of mouthwatering
acidity leading into a long, rich finish.

Pinot Noir Grapes, Yeast, Yeast
Extract, Minimum Effective Sulfites, Enzyme