Vintage:

The 2002 vintage was remarkably even and consistent. Flowering occurred normally in mid-May, and mild temperatures prevailed throughout the growing season, with few heat spikes and no rain, insuring the fruit ripened evenly, attained full maturity, and delivered intense, concentrated flavors.

Vineyards:

The grapes for this wine came from three superb vineyards in the Carneros district of Napa Valley, a region heavily influenced by breezes and fog from nearby San Pablo Bay. We prize these vineyards for the long, cool growing season they enjoy, the clonal diversity they offer (multiple clonal selections foster greater complexity), and the intensity of flavor we get from their fruit. In 2002, the grapes were harvested in ideal condition between September 9th and 16th.

Winemaking:

Ninety percent of the grapes were crushed while 10% were retained as whole clusters. We filled the bottom of the fermenting tank with the whole clusters, layering the de-stemmed berries on top, and then allowed the fruit to cold-soak for 2-3 days before instigating fermentation. These techniques enhanced the structure and texture of the wine (building richness while minimizing harsh tannins) and also accentuated the wine's fruit characters. After fermentation, the free-run juice was separated from the skins, transferred to barrel and stirred weekly for six weeks to enhance mouth-feel and complexity. The wine was then aged an additional 15 months in French oak barrels, 65% new, before bottling in December, 2003.

Tasting Notes:

Our 2002 Carneros Pinot Noir, produced in very limited quantities, offers a wonderful aroma of sweet black cherries and berries mingled with entrancing scents of rose petal, clove and vanilla bean. The flavors center on ripe, mouth-filling, blackberry and cherry fruit and extend into a luxuriously long finish embellished by a savory oak spiciness. This is a full-bodied, lavishly fruited Pinot Noir whose round texture and velvet-smooth tannins make it a delight to drink now, although it will gain further complexity with another few years of bottle age.