Nose
Warm aromas of baked pie crust and freshly sliced apples are
interwoven with earthy tones of forest floor and pine needles.
Palate
Robust cherry and baked apple pave the way for the warm flavors of molasses, cinnamon, and
vanilla that follow. With a big, round mouthfeel, this wine expands to a
powerfully complex mid-palate and finishes with fresh sliced apple, all the while
maintaining a well-structured body.
Growing Conditions
Dutton Ranch farms over eighty unique, separate vineyards located in the
coolest areas of the Russian River Valley, primarily in the sub-appellation known
as the Green Valley. We have selected our favorite vineyards from our family’s
Dutton Ranch to craft wines reflecting our vision of a signature Russian River
Valley Pinot Noir. The Manzana Vineyard is located in the heart of the Green
Valley. Manzana’s hillside vineyard is east facing, which is an optimal location for
growing Pinot Noir. Planted to clone Dijon 828 and Dijon 115 in 2001, this
vineyard produces wine of red fruits with a bold luscious mouth-feel. The vines
planted in the Gold Ridge type soil historically produce wines of this consistent
character.
Winemaking
The Manzana Vineyard fruit is hand sorted as soon as it arrives from being picked.
It is then gently de-stemmed into small open top fermenters, the must is coldsoaked
to gently extract spice and fruit characters, while extenuating harsher
tannins. We punch down a maximum of three times a day, according to the stage
of the fermentation. After fermentation, the juice is pressed and racked into
French oak to age. We select the best barrels from the Manzana lot for this
vineyard designated wine
Aging
10 months French Oak.
Appearance
Deep, rich red color with subtle hints of violet help to accentuate the beauty of
the wine within.
