About The Wine
This Pali Vineyard wine is crafted for our "Clonal Series" program designed to showcase an individual Pinot Noir clone. Each year, we select one of our
seven Pinot Noir clones from a single block on our 50-acre Estate vineyard that sits on a gentle, southeast facing slope comprised of mostly sandy
soil. This year's focus is Pommard, which is considered to be a "stand-alone" clone and known to produce perfumed, aromatic wine with spice and ripe
dark fruits on the palate. Harvested in the 2017 season from Block 2, this very small production wine was barrel-fermented and aged for 18 months
in neutral French oak barrels.
The AVA
With a total area of 30,720 acres, the Sta. Rita Hills AVA is home to over 59 vineyards, totaling 2,700 hundred acres planted to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and 18 other cool climate wine grape varieties. The combination of a purely East/West maritime throat, poor marine-based soils, elevated calcium in the soil and the Pacific’s cooling influence through fog, wind and moderating summer heat combine to form one of the world’s best cool-climate viticulture areas for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Winemaker Notes
Light pomegranate and baked plum aromas show on the shy nose of this clonal selection. Flavors of earthy rust, dried herbs, cracked pepper and plum come through on the palate.
Accolades
91 Points, Wine Enthusiast
