Nose
Aromatically, the nose opens with a burst of rose petals, cranberry, and cinnamon.
Palate
The palate delivers more red fruit including sour cherry, pomegranate, saddle leather with a note of fresh thyme. Brambly stem character persists on the finish due to the whole cluster fermentation. For those of you seeking a flavorful wine in a low alcohol package – your search has ended.
Harvest
The 2020 vintage is defined by low yields and concentrated, complex fruit. Early spring frosts and rain during May fruit set limited the number of berries per cluster. Summer drought kept berries small while optimal temperatures throughout July and August ripened them beautifully. Harvest commenced on August 3rd and was one of the fastest in recent memory. All grapes destined for our sparkling wine were picked within 3 weeks and by September 17th, our 34th harvest was complete.
Winemaking
This single block wine was handled in a very straightforward manner, gentle destemming of the fruit and a traditional Burgundian-style open top fermentation that allows the delicate nature of the Pommard fruit its full and unadorned expression. Élevage commenced with only the free run wine going to barrel. Of the twenty-four barrels selected for the final blend, ten were new (41%) featuring the cooperages of Francois-Freres, Cadus, and Sirugue. The individual barrels were selected for flavor and restraint to complement the texture of this unique Pinot Noir.
Aging
This wine will benefit from aging in a temperature and humidity controlled environment.
Food Pairing
Our winemakers recommend pairing this wine with a herb and goat cheese crostini with cranberry jam, and for a main course suggest a rich and savory dish such as braised rabbit or pork chops with sour cherry sauce.
