Pinot Noir

If we are making Pinot Noir, fruit is de-stemmed from the clusters and placed ''whole-berry'' into an open-top stainless steel fermentation tank, cooled to 50° and cold soaked over four days to begin color extraction from the skins. On day five, the temperature is increased to 68° and yeast is introduced to ferment the juice dry over the following 10 days. Cool temperatures are maintained to maximize flavor and color for the new wine. Cap punch-downs scheduled regularly three times a day take place until the wine is dry. After complete fermentation, the temperature is decreased to 40° for an extended maceration, further allowing fermented skins to release color into the wine. Only ''free-run'' wine from the tank is racked into 100% French Oak barrels, handcrafted by premier coopers Francois Freres and Tonnellerie Redmond. As with our Chardonnay, for balance in the wine we use a combination of new and used Oak barrels made with woods from the choice French forests of Allier, Vosges and Niever. Undisturbed in the cool cellar, the wine goes through 100% M/L. After resting for approximately 10 months and just prior to bottling, the wine may receive a very light filtration to remove any slight haze.

Technical Data
Dutch Bill Creek Pinot Noir

• Appellation: Sonoma Coast, California
• Grape Source: 100% Heintz Ranch
• Vineyard Age: Planted in 1996
• Rootstock: 420A
• Clone: Swan
• Location: 9 Miles Inland from Pacific Ocean
• Elevation: 900 Feet
• Fermentation: RC212 Yeast, 100% M/L
• Barrels: French Oak 30% new, 70% older
• Aging: 10-13 Months in Barrel
• Production: Approximately 450-550 Cases

"The wine in this bottle
is the result of a beautiful cycle of life."