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2016 Temblor Vineyard Pinot Noir

2016 Temblor Vineyard Pinot Noir

Carneros750ml 14.2

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%
  • Vintage 2016
$105.00
$105.00

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Specifications

  • Vintage: 2016
  • Region: Carneros
  • Appelation: Carneros
  • ABV: 14.2
  • Varietal: Pinot Noir

Tasting Notes

Temblor offers a signature expression of Grace Benoist Ranch, showing the cooling influences of nearby San Pablo Bay with vibrant acidity, elegant, silky tannins and a delicate but quite demonstrative mouthfeel.  Aromas and flavors of rich red fruit offer layers that reveal themselves with patience in the glass.  Hints of red peppercorn and light touches of oak spice round out the profile.

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Expert reviews

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"The 2016 Pinot Noir Temblor Vineyard is sourced from Etude's estate vineyard, Grace Benoist Ranch, and was aged in 25% new French oak for 14 months. It has a medium ruby-purple color and gives quite an earthy/savory nose with notes of underbrush, Provence herbs and mossy bark over warm cranberries, fresh raspberries and mulberries plus a hint of smoked meats. Medium bodied, the palate features a firm frame of chewy tannins and great freshness, finishing on a mineral note. 413 cases produced." - Lisa Perroti-Brown, October 2018

The Vineyard

Temblor Vineyard

The Temblor Vineyard is located on a gradual slope that faces east within our 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. This site is directly influenced by the cooling Petaluma Gap, 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. This expression of Etude Pinot Noir highlights the wide range of terroir influences within Grace Benoist.

Process

The 2016 Vintage

  • Napa & Sonoma

    The 2016 vintage was challenging, with the impact of our continuing drought requiring a deft touch in the vineyard, although there was some winter rain that helped recharge much needed groundwater. Bud break was early in February, and the march toward harvest continued through the season, with fruit arriving about two weeks earlier than normal. Shatter resulted in some blocks with lower yields, but the warm, mild growing days led to fruit with abundant flavor, good acidity and balance.

  • Central Coast

    The extended drought was beginning to cause concern as the 2016 growing season began. However, a very warm spring and early summer with almost no rain allowed the fruit to ripen at a steady and deliberate pace. July and August brought cool nights and gentle warmth to the Sta. Rita Hills to allow the smaller-sized crop to mature perfectly, producing small berries in pristine condition. The drier-than normal conditions and the region’s abundant sunshine resulted in wines with excellent concentration, balance, color and intensity, resulting in Pinot Noir fruit showing exceptional depth and finesse.

  • Willamette Valley

    The trend toward early harvests continued, and harvest was rapid, completed in record time. Bud break was early by one to two weeks, and warm weather continued through the spring and summer.  Lower yields brought small berry sizes with intense aromatics and concentrated flavors.  Tannins are more fine-grained, but with fruit, acidity and tannins all in great balance, this could be one of the most memorable vintages in recent Oregon history.

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. We performed punch downs during the early stages of fermentation with the extraction becoming gentler as the wine became dry, and followed with a quiet extended maceration to help modify the richness and mouthfeel of the wine. We lightly pressed the wine into small 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.