2017 Alder Springs Vineyard Pinot Noir
The 2017 Pinot Noir has a high-mountainside wine structure of firm, dense tannins with complex aromas of dried rose petals, cranberry and pomegranate with a hint of dried sage. The 2017 is showing a juicy acid balance along with smooth sweet tannins which mingle seamlessly with spicy red fruits and five-spice powder. 18% of the wine was fermented as 100% whole cluster in a separate lot, adding a savory, fine herb trace. Like many of the greatest vintages from Alder Springs, this 2017 promises a long, fascinating evolution in the cellar.
The 2017 growing season began in March with cool temperatures and sustained rainfall,
a welcome development after five years of drought. As the rains cleared, sunny and warm conditions prevailed. Flowering began as usual in May, but foggy and windy days caused incomplete pollination, creating small berries with fewer seeds and reduced crop yields. The upside is that small berries provide great flavor concentration and color. A very warm, beautiful summer advanced the growing season by almost two weeks, accelerating our picking to get the grapes into the winery at ideal ripeness. We started harvest August 18th for our sparkling wine and concluded on September 27th, making 2017 the fastest harvest since 2008. Fortunately, our strong farming relationships allowed for perfectly ripe fruit with excellent chemistry. When the fires broke out in Napa and Sonoma on October 8th, we had (along with 90% of Sonoma vineyards) picked all our grapes. 2017 is proving to be a fine year, producing wines of depth, finesse, focused vineyard character and delicious flavors and aromas.
Defined by its high elevation and low-vigor uplifted marine soils, Alder Springs Vineyard sustains tiny vines with equally tiny clusters and berries. Located about 11 miles from the Pacific, with some blocks as high as 2,600 ft., Alder Springs exists on the edge of what is possible for cool-climate winegrowing. When we bottle an Alder Springs Vineyard wine, it is something rare and special. This wine comes from what we believe was the vineyard’s finest Pinot Noir block in 2017: Helm’s Field, part of which was fermented with 100% whole cluster.
40% new Burgundian French oak barrels
18% Whole Cluster (separate lot at 100% whole cluster)
Bottled without fining or filtration of any kind
- Type:
- Red
- Varietal:
- Pinot Noir
- Region:
- California
- Appellation:
- Mendocino
- Vintage:
- 2017
- Blend:
- 100% Pinot Noir
- Alcohol:
- 14.2
- Fermentation:
- Multi-yeast fermentations (wild & cultured); 100% malo-lactic fermentation in barrel