Metz Road Pinot Noir 2018

The Riverview Vineyard has an unmistakable signature, an aromatic and textural thread that runs through all our wines. This Pinot Noir is defined by its pure fruit and impeccable balance. The nose includes notes of cherry, cranberry, pomegranate and currants with a twist of vanilla spice and warm oak. The palate is clean, plush and structured with ample weight and a blast of bright red fruit. The finish is silky and elegant.

Our estate Riverview Vineyard is a 340-acre, cold-climate (Region 1), sustainably farmed, benchland property that overlooks the Salinas River. It is situated on the east side of the Salinas Valley just below the Pinnacles National Park. This property features granitic soils, great exposure and little protection from the strong winds that scrub the valley every afternoon. it is planted to an assortment of varieties, clones and rootstocks specifically matched to the various micro-climates, soils and aspects of the terrain. The namesake Metz Road runs alongside the property.

The grapes were hand-picked in the early morning hours, brought to the winery and carefully destemmed to preserve the whole berries. Fermentation was done in small, open-top tanks with punch-downs three times a day to gently extract colour and tannins. A portion of the must was un-inoculated so the native vineyard microflora could initiate fermentation. Other lots were inoculated with various isolated vineyard non-saccharomyces yeasts as well as select Burgundian strains. After fermentation, the wine was pressed into a stainless-steel tank for settling, then racked to 100% French oak barrels (35% new) for 15 months. The final blend was a selection of only our top barrels.

After fermentation, the wine was pressed into a stainless-steel tank for settling, then racked to 100% French oak barrels (35% new) for 15 months. The final blend was a selection of only our top barrels.

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