2021 Estate Pinot Noir

TASTING NOTES
Fresh and approachable, the Estate Pinot Noir captures the classic character of Carneros Martini Clone Pinot Noir, which is to say a delicate, pretty wine with a medium body, fresh acidity, and beguiling intricacy. Hungarian oak adds a warm spice and earth component to the fruit’s classic aromas and flavors of rose petals and bright red cherries, with some tea leaf and herbal notes from the whole cluster stem contact.

HISTORY
Poseidon Vineyard, located at the confluence of Carneros Creek and the Napa River, was planted in 1973 by the Molnar Family to the Burgundian varietals: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The maritime environment of the Carneros grape-growing season delivers cool, foggy mornings followed by warm days that slowly nurture ripening.

VINTAGE 2021
The season began early with dry conditions, leading to very small bunches and berries that ripened well ahead of the average schedule. A vintage marked by very small yields and high flavor concentration and quality.

WINEMAKING
Our Estate Pinot Noir is primarily sourced from Martini clone Pinot Noir, with one small lot of Pommard 5 clone. The fruit was harvested by hand and fermented separately, 10% whole cluster. As soon as the fermentations were complete, the wines were pressed gently and aged in Kádár Tokaj oak, 70% in 300-liter barrels and 30% in a single 3,000-liter upright oval cask. These oversized vessels add the signature spiciness of Hungarian oak to the blend at lower concentrations than standard barrels, complementing the fruit character while retaining the pure, fruit-filled expression of Pinot Noir. Aged on lees and racked only once before bottling to add weight and complexity.

Alex Beloz, Winemaker