
PHILOSOPHY
Our Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is always a fruit forward wine where we strive to create a distinctive, benchmark expression of our famous appellation. The goal is to present an elegant and pure rendition of the variety that is enjoyable upon release but will also reward short-term aging. While select lots from our 42-acre Quail Hill Vineyard home estate form an important component of this bottling, we also work closely with a small group of local growers who share our commitment to quality.
2006 GROWING SEASON
The 2006 growing season was particularly challenging in the Russian River Valley. Higher humidity during the summer months resulted in greater mildew pressure across the appellation, exacerbated by weather during harvest that provided perfect growing conditions for botrytis, or "noble rot.” Luckily Pinot Noir is an early ripening variety and our vineyard crew did everything right this year. Numerous extra “passes” in our vineyards ensured the area around grape clusters had good air flow and that crop loads were balanced. At the winery, all incoming fruit was rigorously hand-sorted. The bottom line for Lynmar is that we came through a challenging harvest with excellent quality potential. Primary characteristics of the wines from 2006, in general, will be lower than average alcohols and bright natural acidity. This is a vintage that will play very well to Lynmar’s balanced, elegant house style.
WINEMAKING
Winemaking for our Russian River Valley Pinot Noir lots is focused on capturing fruit and moderating extraction to yield components of great perfume, yet balanced and with elegant structure. Fruit was hand picked early in the morning and transported to the winery while still cool, then hand-sorted before being gently de-stemmed and transferred without pumping into small (2.5 and 5 ton) open-top fermenters. The fruit was then cold-soaked for 3 to 7 days at 50°F before allowing native yeast fermentations to begin. Fermentations were gently punched down by hand 2 to 4 times per day. Total skin contact in 2006 ranged from 9 -16 days depending on the objective for each lot. Wines were then put into barrels where the secondary, malolactic fermentation occurred over the next several months. Racking was minimal, with aging on light lees until the final blend was assembled for bottling. This wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
TASTING NOTES
The color this year is immediately bright and youthful with an attractive violet hue and a translucence that boldly declares this is not another “over-extracted” Syrah-like Pinot Noir. Aromas begin with an assortment of wonderfully forward red fruits such as pie cherry, strawberry, and cranberry. These upfront fruit characters are accented by complexing notes of baking spice, deeper dark fruits, and orange blossom. There is also a subtle earthiness here that evokes the local coastal forests and the breezes coming in from Pacific….giving this wine a heightened sense of place. On the palate cleansing, “zippy” acidity results in a taut, yet balanced, structure with flavors that truly linger and draw you back. Always enjoyable upon release, this wine will only get better through fall of 2009, and should continue to reward cellaring through 2012.
WINE INFORMATION
Varietal Composition 100% Pinot Noir
Winemaker Hugh Chappelle
T.A. 0.53g/l00ml
Consulting Winemaker Paul Hobbs
pH 3.68
Consulting Viticulturist Greg Adams
Alcohol 14.4%
Cases Produced 3,196 (12x750ml) cases
Aging 14 mo. in small (60 gal.) French oak barrels (35% new)
Bottling Date December 12-14, 2007
Suggested Retail Price $40
Other products in the category Wines:
2007 Jenkins Vineyard Pinot Noir -- Aromas truly leap from the glass and immediately captivate, with primary notes of cherry and raspberry, accented with both red and dark fruit elements. There is also is a deft touch of toasty oak which adds spice and complexity, but in no way competes wit
2006 Quail Hill Vineyard Chardonnay -- Appearance is bright yellow-green gold and leads into a complex nose of toast, peaches & cream, bread, acacia, and hazelnuts. The aromas are fresh and compelling with noticeable intensity and focus. The palate is full bodied and rich yet elegant
2006 Quail Hill Vineyard, Bliss Block Pinot Noir -- Our “Bliss Block” Pinot Noir is from a unique part of the estate and in one of the coolest pockets of the property. From the very beginning this vineyard block gave us wines of a highly distinctive and individualistic quality
2006 Quail Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir -- What we have in this wine is taut highly aromatic expression of our estate vineyard where elegance, balance, and structure are all seamlessly interwoven. The texture here is still youthfully firm but with a vibrant energy
Quail Hill Chardonnay Vertical -- 2004 - 2006 Quail Hill Vineyard Chardonnay
2004 Quail Hill Vineyard Chardonnay -- The flavors are complex and subtle, revealing bright key lime, verbena and Gravenstein apple notes, balanced by ginger, clove and a briny minerality.
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||