Harvest Date
October 3, 2009
Harvest Brix
27.2
Months in Oak
Five
Alcohol
14.4%
pH
3.72
TA
5.2 grams/liter
Rs
Dry
Bottled October 26, 2011
698 cases
Appellation: Monterey
Located south of the Arroyo Seco appellation of Monterey County, Central Avenue Vineyard produces striking, yet friendly wines because of its moderately warm days, cool nights, and shaley loam soil. The vineyard is planted to several recently imported French Dijon Pinot Noir clones. Each clone was harvested separately at ideal maturity and then fermented and aged in separate lots.
2009 comes to a close with our assessment that yet a fifth consecutive great Vintage has been brought to "the Barn" (our 80+ year old former Swiss Italian dairy, now winery). January and early February saw unprecedented warm temperatures that caused an early budbreak. During flowering in the middle of May the thermometer again reached the upper 90 °F mark. The balance of the growing season up through harvest was, in contrast, very moderate to even slightly cool. We were now preparing for a late season with grapes not expected until late Fall. In anticipation of heavy rains from the remnants of Typhoon Melor (the worst to hit Japan in two decades), we scrambled to bring in all the fruit during the middle of October. The long hours paid off and incredible quality wines are now finishing fermentation and resting gracefully in the winery.
Handpicked fruit was gently crushed on top of approximately 10% whole cluster grapes and allowed to "cold soak" for 72 hours. A highly specialized yeast provided a slow, cool fermentation to help preserve the delicate aromas and flavors characteristic of Pinot Noir. Pressed directly into French oak barrels, the wine was then aged for nine months before blending bottling.
Steve Pessagno, Winemaker
Price: $21
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