Vintage:
In 2015, mild winter conditions led to one of the earliest recorded budbreaks. The vintage produced an early harvest and lighter than average crop of small berries. This resulted in wellconcentrated, fragrant fruit. By August, we started harvesting our Pinot Noir, delighted with its quality level and rich, expressive character.
Winemaker Notes:
Director’s Pinot Noir is blended from several different Russian River Valley vineyards. Some of the parcels give us fruit that offers spice and earth nuances while other vineyards we use produce fruit that has more density and richness. Combined, the wine takes on all of these traits leading to increased complexity. In the cellar, we use open-top fermenters and daily punch downs to extract color and flavor. When fermentation is complete, the wine is aged in a combination of French and Hungarian oak.
Tasting Notes:
The 2015 Director’s Pinot Noir offers a bright, sexy fragrance reminiscent of strawberries, black cherries, raspberries and spiced wood. The lush, silky palate offers a bit more body than you might find with other vintages and shows very good balance. Flavors of sour cherry, plums, blackberries, and anise are seamlessly integrated with oak to enhance the varietal’s natural spice notes. A lovely drinking experience all on its own, and delicious paired with dishes such as grilled lamb chops, salmon, or creamy mushroom fettucine.
Alcohol: 13.5%