Winemaker's Notes
This wine is very fruit forward in style, full of “Pinot candy” and spice (Cola nut, cinnamon, cardamom) displaying notes of strawberry, cherry and sassafras. Supple and velvety in the mouth, this is an elegant wine. Typical of our Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir, this wine displays up front fruit— yet serious and complex at the same time.
- Bill Wathen, Winemaker

Tasting Notes
"Bright fruit flavors of cranberry relish, cinnamon, clove, cherry cola and cherry Garcia. An abundance of raspberry and boysenberry round out the finish. 2,300 cases produced."

Winery Notes
Vineyards: Bien Nacido and Julia’s Vineyard
Clone(s): Primarily Pommard, some Dijon
Harvest: Vineyard Blocks and lots hand harvested from Sept 9th to Oct 2nd.
Yields: Between 2 and 3 Tons per acre
Crush: Whole berry destemmed into small, open-topped fermenters. Pre-innoculation cold maceration 2-5 days
Innoculum: Bourgogne RC212, Bourgogne RA17; Assmanhausen Fermentation: 14-21 days, with punch downs 2 times daily
Barrel Regime: 8 months in Francois Freres tight grained barrels
Racking: Without 02 (no pumping). Once in April 2009 then again June prior to bottling
Bottling: June 24, 2008 without fining or filtration

Reviews
Wall Street Journal: "Velvety, supple aromatic Pinot from northern Santa Barbara. (6/25/10)"