2019 Sadie's Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

We picked the grapes at Sadie’s Vineyard on September 13th. The stems were well lignified, so we included 25% as a whole cluster component. The grapes were sorted and the rest destemmed, then rested until an ambient fermentation took off about a week after harvest. The fermentation, along with frequent punch-downs, went to completion a week later, when the fermenter was sealed up for an extended maceration. About forty days after picking, the tank was drained, the remaining grapes were pressed, and the wine was barreled, using barrels from five different coopers to help add layers of complexity; Marcel Cadet, Remond, François Frères, Dargaud et Jaeglé, and Rousseau. Malolactic fermentation occurred in barrel and the wine remained unracked until just before blending and bottling.