2019 Calera Clone Pinot Noir

This Pinot Noir is exclusively from the Calera clone that we grow at Sonoma Stage Vineyard. Upon hand harvesting in the early morning hours, our grapes were carefully destemmed and sent to tank for a whole-berry fermentation. The grapes were cold-soaked in tank at 45˚F for 4-7 days, allowing for increased color, aroma, and flavor extraction. After inoculation with a select yeast, the grape must (juice, skins, and seeds) fermented at 78˚F, which allowed for a hot extraction on the skins. For fermentation cap management, the juice was pumped over the skins four times per day, wetting the cap evenly for a nice healthy fermentation. This small lot was aged in French oak barrels (35% new) for 14 months and was bottled unfined and unfiltered.

The 2019 vintage was a near perfect growing season. Bud break began in late March, leading to a Spring that had few showers and was relatively dry. Summer was also quite warm and long, leading into a steady Autumn harvest season. The consistent summer weather encouraged our Pinot Noir grapes to ripen in September to early-October.