Current Release
2008 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir
- Vintage: 2008
- Appellation: Santa Barbara County
- Release Date: May 1, 2010
- Alcohol: 13.4%
- Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Our 2008 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir was sourced from Bien Nacido Vineyard. This is a sustainably farmed vineyard.
Vintage Description
2008 will be known as a vintage of great balance. The 2008 growing season started cool and dry, carrying over the drought effects from 2007 into spring. Cold weather in April delayed growth, but the frosts were mild with very little damage. A warm and calm bloom period gave excellent fruit set. Summer weather was mild with temperatures rarely exceeding 90˚F. The lack of fog was notable. August brought perfectly warm weather to push ripeness along and the touch of morning fog helped retain fresh acidities as the flavors developed.
Winemaking
The fruit was harvested during the cool early morning and transported by refrigerated truck to the winery where it was immediately sorted and destemmed. Whole clusters were added to open-top fermenters and the must underwent a seven-day cold soak to gently extract the grapes’ delicate flavors and color. The cap was punched down every six hours to further extract color and aroma at the height of fermentation. The juice was allowed to rest on its skins to build structure post fermentation for a maximum of four days adding further delicate nuances. The free run juice was drained and the wine was gently pressed off the skins. The wine was aged for 12 months sur lies in 100% French Burgundy barrels, 40% new.
