2004 Pinot Noir, Rio Vista Vineyard

Awards

Wine Enthusiast 84 points.

"This is a ripe, superextracted, ponderous Pinot Noir. The massive cherry pie filling, raspberry tart, root beer and cola flavors are so big and sweet, they exceed the limit of what Pinot should be, losing balance in favor of power."

Production Notes

Pinot Noir clones 115, 667, & 777; 352 cases produced, as well as 70 cases of 375ml “pygmy goat” bottles

Tasting Notes

There is a reason that a deep, rich, red color is named “burgundy”, and so this wine’s color mirrors its namesake. Jewel-like glints of garnet shine through the brilliant clarity of the 2004 Rio Vista Pinot Noir. There is a bit of masculinity to this wine, and with a swirl, notes of leather, pepper and dark blackberries unfold. A taste confirms the nose, adding smoky, mouth coating tastes of cola and dried blueberry. A medium body and firm structure are joined by lingering layers and layers of flavors of dark fruit, earth and dusty bakers chocolate tannins. Although we’ve bottle aged this wine for half a year, the wine still displays its youthful playfulness, so we recommend decanting and aerating for maximum enjoyment. A good addition to your cellar, this wine will continue to improve with 6-8 years in the bottle.

Vineyard Notes

This is our second vintage from the beautifully farmed Rio Vista Vineyard. Manicured rows of vines sweep down the Flying Goat designated blocks, overlooking the Santa Ynez River. Due to its location on the eastern edge of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation, Rio Vista was less affected by the severe heat wave that sat immediately on the coast during the early part of the 2004 harvest. As one of the first wineries to acquire fruit from this relatively newly developed vineyard, we are thrilled that it is already gaining renown as one of the highest quality vineyards within the Sta. Rita Hills appellation.

Winemaker Notes

The grapes for this wine hail from the steep, eastern hillside of the vineyard, with soils laden with rocks and chirt. Clones 115, 667 and 777 comprise the blend, which we call our “Dijon” bottling from Rio Vista. The grapes were harvested by hand after the end of the heat wave in mid-September and delivered to the winery early in the day. The clusters were gently de-stemmed, and the whole berries placed into 4x4x4 fermenters. After inoculation with yeast, the must was punched down by hand twice each day to extract flavor, color and tannins from the skins. When the new wine was dry, we gently racked the wine into a combination of new and neutral French oak barrels, where it underwent malolactic fermentation and then aged for 10 months. After a light filtration to ensure clarity and remove any unwanted sediment, the wine was bottled and then placed into dark, cool wine storage for six months. This bottling aging allowed the tannins, acids and flavors to meld and integrate, providing a wine that is enjoyable immediately upon release.