Nose
Layers of bright fruit are balanced with darker, more earthy notes. Hints of spice and anise mingle with red fruit and blackcurrant, offering intriguing complexity.
Palate
Each of the two clones we blended brings different characteristics to the wine – rose petal and raspberry from the 115, deeper, darker notes of black cherry, cassis and licorice, courtesy of the 777. The result is a wonderfully complex wine with distinct layers and supple tannins. Drink now but should age gracefully for the next 7 years.
Growing Conditions
Coeur Du Val is a neighboring vineyard, about a mile from our own in the Templeton Gap area of Paso Robles’ west side. The slightly cooler west side micro-climate and chalky soils are ideal for Pinot Noir. We picked from two separate blocks in the vineyard, planted to 777 and 115 clones, respectively. We were fortunate to pick from what we consider to be the prime rows, ideally situated on the sloping site for ideal sunlight and optimum ripeness.
Winemaking
A blend of two Dijon clones, Pseudonym is a multi-dimensional Pinot Noir. A two day cold soak and 10 day fermentation gave Pseudonym a total 12 days of skin contact.
Aging
The wine was barrel aged for 12 months. Only three barrels were made. We used one new French oak barrel bringing just a touch of smoky vanilla, without overpowering the vibrant fruit.
