2022 Estate Pinot Noir

TASTING NOTES
Fresh and approachable, the Estate Pinot Noir captures the classic character of Carneros Martini Clone Pinot Noir, which is to say a delicate, pretty wine with a medium body, fresh acidity, and beguiling intricacy. Hungarian oak adds a warm spice and earth component to the fruit’s classic rose petal aromas and red cherry flavors, with whole cluster stem contact adding herbal and tea leaf notes. 

HISTORY
Poseidon Vineyard, located at the confluence of Carneros Creek and the Napa River, was planted in 1973 by the Molnar Family to the Burgundian varietals: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The maritime environment of the Carneros grape-growing season delivers cool, foggy mornings followed by warm days that slowly nurture ripening.

VINTAGE 2022
Throughout the North Coast, 2022 is regarded as a hot, dry, and fast harvest, with drought conditions and a brutal September heatwave followed by unusual rains wreaking havoc for many. Our Estate Vineyards' positions—one at the water's edge and the other at the highest elevation in the region—protected us from excessive heat and resulted in a very different story. An unusually small crop of chardonnay and pinot noir ripened early, well ahead of any concern of rain.

WINEMAKING
Our Estate Pinot Noir is primarily sourced from Martini clone Pinot Noir, with one small lot of Pommard 5 clone. The fruit was harvested by hand and fermented separately, 10% whole cluster. As soon as the fermentations were complete, the wines were pressed gently and aged in Kádár Tokaj oak, 70% in 300-liter barrels and 30% in a single 3,000-liter upright oval cask. These oversized vessels add the signature spiciness of Hungarian oak to the blend at lowerconcentrations than standard barrels, complementing the fruit character while retaining the pure, fruit-filled expression of Pinot Noir. Aged on lees and racked only once before bottling to add weight and complexity.

Alex Beloz, Winemaker