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2014 Sea Slopes Pinot Noir

Wine Specs

Vintage

2014

Varietal

Pinot Noir

Appellation

Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma Coast

Vineyard Designation

Fort Ross Vineyard

Harvest Date

September 2-23, 2014

Aging

9 months in 100% French oak; 20% new

Bottling Date

Late June 2015

Alcohol %

13.5

Wine Advocate

90 Points - Wine Advocate
The 2014 Pinot Noir Sea Slopes gets its name from overlooking the Pacific Ocean at an elevation of 1,200 to 1,700 feet. The wine spent nine months in 10% new French oak prior to being bottled unfined and unfiltered. This wine offers loads of Chinese black tea, pomegranate, floral notes and a hint of raspberry in a medium-bodied, fresh, lively, Côte de Beaune style. Drink it over the next 5-7 years (2016 - 2023).

Wine Profile

Tasting Notes

Our Sea Slopes Pinot Noir is harmoniously blended with a delicate hand for earlier release than our other Fort Ross Vineyard Pinot Noirs. This expressive garnet hued Pinot Noir entices with cranberry and Bing cherry aromas that are balanced by notes of dried orange peel and baking spices. Juicy pomegranate, raspberry and red plum integrated with spice and dried flowers slowly evolve on the mid-palate. This elegant, broad structured wine finishes with the gentle tannins that express the coastal terroir expected from a wine named Sea Slopes.

Production Notes

2014 was the third year of bountiful harvests that again produced stellar wine of vibrancy and concentration. Protected from the drought by the late winter rains that quickly filled our pond, we could enjoy one of the few luxuries of being off the grid. As we train our grapes to grow on cordons, with evenly positioned buds that produce evenly placed shoots, we drop clusters that are not perfectly positioned. We worked through the vineyard three times to ensure that the bunches had optimal air circulation and sun exposure. The depth of flavor in the wines from this vintage reflect our meticulous handwork. August 17th marked the beginning of the harvest with picking a select block of Pinot Noir Dijon 777 for our sparkling wine. The remaining Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinotage ripened quickly and evenly and was harvested through September.

Winemaker Notes

The grapes for this Pinot Noir were handpicked during the cool hours of the night in 2 gallon trays. After hand sorting, the fruit was cold soaked for several days and fermented in a combination of 5 and 10 ton tanks. The caps were punched down 1 or 2 times per day, depending on the stage of the fermentation. The wines were then barreled in a combination of 20% new and 80% neutral French oak. Throughout the 9 months of barrel aging, the clones and different vineyard lots were kept separate to maintain their distinct flavor profiles and structural components as blending elements.