2017 Mindego Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir

Record setting rains replenished our thirsty soils and gave our old vines a much needed reprieve from four drought stressed seasons. The 2017 vintage was another year of record setting heat, continuing our string of warm growing seasons. Luckily, spring was mild, and allowed us to set the best crop we have seen since 2012. A torrid heat spike over the labor day started the growing season with a bang and had us off and running at sprinter’s pace. The weather following was mild and allowed for the latest harvest we have seen in some time. It will go down as a vintage with good yields and even better quality.

"Creamy black cherry and cola spice give way to brisk hibiscus, funky earth and dried red flowers on the nose of this bottling. Taut strawberry, raspberry and dark-plum flavors meet with lavender and forest herbs on the palate, which is very tight in texture but steadily opens up over time." - Matt Kettmann, Wine Enthusiast 94 points
Our winemaking is focused on allowing the unique signature of each vineyard site to be expressed. We ferment all of our Pinot Noir in small lots of between one and two tons. We utilize varying percentages of whole bunches (approximately 25-50%), tailored to each site, and ferment the wines without the addition of yeast. Our maceration period lasts from 10-21 days, often including a short per-fermentation cold soak. We age our Pinot Noir in 3 year air dried French Oak, exclusively from the forest of Chatillon. The wines are pressed in a traditional basket press and allowed to settle before barrelling. The wines spend two winters in barrel and are racked only at bottling.
Mindego Ridge Vineyard, owned and farmed by David and Stacey Gollnick, is located at the western end of Alpine Road. near the town of La Honda. It is a perfectly exposed south facing hillside in a very cool spot. The clay loam over shale soils produces wines of great intensity.