2008 Pinot Blanc

Our Pinot Blanc vineyard was planted in 1994, just south of our front door. We are pleased to release our 12th vintage of Pinot Blanc exclusively from our estate, 100% Oakville.

Appellation: Oakville Estate, Napa Valley
Varietals: 100% Pinot Blanc
Ageing and Cooperage: Five months in 15% new French oak; 85% neutral oak
Alcohol: 14.5%
Bottled: March 10th, 2009
Released: July 1st, 2009
Cases Produced: 187 cases

HARVEST:
We hand harvested 3.56 tons of Pinot Blanc on September 12th, 2008.
Sugar: 23.4 Brix
Acidity: 0.64 g/100ml
pH: 3.63 units

FERMENTATION AND AGEING:
After whole cluster pressing and cold settling, the wine was racked into small stainless steel fermenters and inoculated with Premier Cuvee yeast.  Fermentation ensued and remained temperature controlled for approximately two weeks at 52 degrees until Brix reading dropped to seven degrees. At this point, the fermenting wine was transferred to three and four year-old French 60 gallon oak barrels for fermentation where it remained on the lees and stirred every two weeks while it aged for five months. The wine did not go through malo-latic conversion.

CHARACTERISTICS:
Notes of green apple skins, honey dew melon, and honeysuckle in the nose. The refreshing taste is similar to the nose with very crisp and bright acidity. Stirring the lees in neutral French oak barrels provides the glycerol, full-bodied mouth feel that ends with a nice, long creamy finish.