2004 Pinot Noir, Bien Nacido Vineyard
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Tasting Notes:
The 2004 Pinot Noir displays aromas of strawberry jam and rose petal, and hints of clove and brown sugar. The flavor profile is filled with red plum, dark plum, and strawberry. The finish is long and smoky with hints of cardamom spice.

Winemaker Notes:
Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir was given the gentlest handling possible at our gravity-flow winery. Clusters were carefully hand-sorted on the upper level before passing through the crusher-stemmer into movable open-top fermenters below. There, the grapes received three to five days of cold pre-fermentation maceration to develop fruit character, color, and body. When the wine began fermentation, a combination of punch-downs and pump-overs was used to circulate the skins and juice. During the four most active days of fermentation, the cellar team performed "rack and return" on each tank once a day for additional extraction and concentration. The wine aged in French oak and was cellared in our temperature- and humidity-controlled barrel rooms.

Vintage Character:
For the second year in a row, bud break began in early January, a month ahead of the average. The grapes had an exceptionally long hang time to develop intense color and concentration exuding varietal character. Extremely warm weather in early September contributed to very opulent, densely flavored wines from this vintage. Crop yields were approximately three tons per acre, average for our cool-climate vineyard.

Technical Information:
Varietal Component: 100% Pinot Noir
Appellation: Santa Maria Valley
Aging: 10 months in 100% French oak, 30% new
Alcohol: 14.8%
Harvest Dates: September 9-11, 2004
Bottling Date: July 20, 2005
Case Production: 1,988 (6 - 750 ml. cases)