2000 Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Hills Vineyard

Awards

Wine Enthusiast 88 points.

"Spicy, raspberry and cherry aromas lead off in this full-bodied Pinot. It's loaded with exotic cinnamon, clove and nutmeg flavors. Quite viscous, with a tangy edge on the finish."

Production Notes

250 cases produced.

Tasting Notes

Black cherry and a hint of spice mingle with leather and mushroom in this full-bodied wine. The silky texture and fruit flavors make this a great wine to drink now, although it will continue to improve through 2005. 

Vineyard Notes

The 2000 vintage hails from the Santa Maria Hills Vineyard, located in the Santa Maria Valley appellation of Santa Barbara County. The mature vines from this 30+ year old vineyard never produce more than 2 tons per acre, and so the grapes produce wines of intense flavor and fruit concentration. The 2000 vintage was blessed with a wonderful, long, cool growing season that allowed the grapes to fully develop and mature.

Winemaker Notes

The grapes were de-stemmed and gently crushed then placed into small, open-top fermenters. Other than carefully monitoring fermentation, and "punching down" twice a day to obtain color and flavor extraction from the skins, the wine was allowed to develop at its own pace. Once primary fermentation and maceration were complete, the wine was racked into a combination of new and old French barrels where it underwent secondary (malolactic) fermentation and then aged for 14 months. This minimalist approach brings a natural perfection to the wine. The wine was lightly filtered and bottled in December, 2001 then the first Flying Goat vintage was released at the Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Festival in April, 2002.