Nose
The aroma of this Pinot Noir opens with bold spice, earth, black cherry, and blackberry.
Palate
On the palate are ripe black fruit characteristics of black cherry and blackberry, as well as a spicy, earthy forest floor, and cedar. This wine has a full and complex mouthfeel with many layers, and is silky and bright. Throughout the palate it remains very balanced with notes of spice and intense dark chocolate on the finish. This wine is ready to drink now, but will get better with age.
Growing Conditions
Coming off some challenging vintages, 2014 was an ideal vintage. The weather was great with no real heat variances, and overall the patterns were very even keeled. Fruit ripened evenly on the vines and performed well so we were picking this Pinot Noir at the ultimate sugar and acid levels and the fruit was very evenly balanced. Overall, 2014 was a picture perfect harvest.
Main Clones: Wente, Wadenswil, Dijon, UCD 32
Average Yields: 3 Tn/Acre
Harvest
Grapes were hand picked between August 27, 2014 and September 4th, 2014
Winemaking
WindVane Reserve Pinot Noir is the ultimate selection, starting with choices in the vineyard and then at the winery with the barrels. We pre-select vineyard blocks that are most devigorated and exposed to the intense Carneros winds, as they will give us the most intensity of flavors. Individual vineyard lots are destemmed, partially crushed and cold-soaked for 2 days to extract color and fruit flavors in our small open tanks. After fermentation, wines are aged in French oak barrels for 9 months. A handful of barrels are selected, those that truly express the intensity of flavors that WindVane embodies.
Aging
100% French Oak, 40% new for 9 months
Food Pairing
Bright cherry and ripe blackberry notes pair appealingly with wild boar, venison or barbequed meats. The spicy cedar and dried chili pepper flavors is a consummate match for cedar plank salmon, spiced duck breast or herb roasted chicken. The earthy components compliment savory dishes such as wild mushroom risotto and rosemary encrusted lamb.
