FOGARTY ESTATE VINEYARDS
Santa Cruz Mountains "Rapley Trail" Estate
Pinot Noir Vineyard
The Rapley Trail Vineyard was planted in 1981, consisting of six continuous acres of Pinot Noir vines, at an elevation of 1,775 feet on our Estate’s rugged southeastern slopes. It has long been the backbone of our past "Estate Reserve" Pinot Noir, but beginning in 2002 we have begun to bottle portions of the vineyard separately. This "deconstruction," if you will, of the vineyard as a whole is based upon the model of Burgundy, the home of the world’s finest Pinot Noir wines. There, as in our vineyard, unique aspects and interactions of soil and climate account for grapes whose very flavor is a direct product of where they are grown; this is the essence of the terroir.
Our B and M blocks are contiguous, but the difference in soil structure and exposure account for two dramatically differing wines.
The Rapley Trail 'B' BLOCK Estate Pinot Noir
The "B" block lies at the lowest part of the vineyard, it is often the first block of the vineyard to ripen as it receives more sun and heat due to its exposure and protection from the cool and ever-present coastal winds. The B block often displays flavors of ripe cherry fruit, brown spice, cocoa and earth. Its lush texture and rich mouth feel are often identified as features unique to the block.
The Rapley Trail 'M' BLOCK Estate Pinot Noir
The "M" block, or the middle section of the vineyard lies in a much more exposed position. It receives less heat and more influence from the elements as it is much less protected. It ripens slower and is often picked up to two weeks later in the year. Its flavors veer more towards the black fruit spectrum, with black cherry and black spices being key identifiers. It is often more structures and requires a bit more time in the glass/decanter to truly strut its stuff.
Rapley Trail Wines:
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