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  • 2019 Yamhela Vineyard Pinot Noir
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2019 Temblor Vineyard Pinot Noir

2019 Temblor Vineyard Pinot Noir

Carneros750ml 14.1

The Temblor Vineyard Pinot Noir, the second vineyard-designated Pinot Noir from the Etude Estate Vineyards at Grace Benoist Ranch. These vineyards are tucked away in the far northwest corner of ...

The Temblor Vineyard Pinot Noir, the second vineyard-designated Pinot Noir from the Etude Estate Vineyards at Grace Benoist Ranch. These vineyards are tucked away in the far northwest corner of the Carneros appellation and feature well-drained, rocky upland soils. The site includes six different soil types and a wide variety of topographical features, and the vineyard parcels were customized to conform to the various soil types and the changing contours of the topography. The diverse sites on this beautiful property allow us to highlight certain portions of the vineyard by illustrating the variations of wine character attributable to different soil series and microclimates.

  • Alcohol 14%
$90.00
$90.00

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Specifications

  • Vintage: 2019
  • Region: Carneros
  • Appelation: Carneros
  • ABV: 14.1
  • Varietal: Pinot Noir
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Expert reviews

97 POINTS

“This is a dense and firm pinot with dried strawberry, red cherry and tile. Some spice undertones. It’s full and layered with fine-tannin intensity and a long, long finish. So much clove and nutmeg with the fruit at the end, but then it shows energy. Love to drink this now, but even better in 2024.” - James Suckling, December 6 2021

The Vineyard

GRACE BENOIST RANCH

The Temblor Vineyard is located on a gradual slope that faces east within Grace Benoist Ranch Estate.  The soils here are very well-drained, with tightly packed volcanic boulders and cobbles braided throughout, a result of the Rodgers Creek Fault line which is adjacent to the vineyard.  Temblor is directly influenced by the cooling Petaluma Gap and San Pablo Bay, causing the fog to develop early and recede late in the day.  The gradual slopes and moderate microclimate allow for even vine growth and fruit ripening.

Process

The 2019 vintage

  • Winter

    The 2019 harvest started one to two weeks later than previous years, mostly due to February rains, but because the vines were in their winter dormancy, it did not affect the 2019 crop.

  • Spring

    Spring continued to be wet with some rain during flowering, followed by cool temperatures that allowed the grapes to mature gradually.

  • Summer

    Most grapes ripened at lower sugars, thanks to the extended, cool growing season, and winemakers were pleased with the full flavors, fresh acidity and superb balance of the 2019 fruit.

  • Harvest

    Wildfires in October did not impact this year’s harvest as the vast majority of the grapes were already brought in, resulting in a crop size pretty much on par with previous years.

Crafted Excellence

Winemaking

The grapes for this wine were harvested at night to preserve freshness and integrity. They were placed in open-top fermenters for 3-5 days of cold maceration followed by fermentation. A small percentage of the grapes were left as whole cluster to preserve the buoyancy of aromatics of the fruit and to add structure and refinement to the wine. Punch downs were performed during the early stages of fermentation with the extraction becoming gentler as the wine became dry. A quiet extended maceration followed, helping to enhance the richness and mouthfeel of the wine. The wine was lightly pressed into French oak barrels (25% new) where it rested for 14 months. The wine was bottled with no fining or filtration and allowed to rest for another eight months prior to release.