Wine Description & Statistics
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HARVEST
Dates: Sept. 22 - Oct 20, 2008
Vineyards:
52% Lafond Vineyard.
29% Arita Hills Vineyard
19% Kick On Vineyard
Vineyards located in the Santa
Rita Hills Appelation.
Sugar: 23.9 - 25.8 Brix

WINE
Barrels: French and Hungarian
Oak, 21% new oak.
Total Acid: .67
pH: 3.49
Alcohol: 14.8%

Produced: 344 cases

Santa Rita Hills
2008 Pinot Noir
The 2008 Pinot Noir was grown in our Lafond Vineyard and the Arita Hills Vineyard located in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. The cool climate in this area is the result of a geographical anomaly and proximity to the cold California Current that flows down the coast of northern and central California.

The Santa Rita Hills are at the western terminus of Southern California's Transverse Ranges, the only major east-west mountain range in North America. During the growing season, hot inland temperatures draw in cold ocean air through our valley making the western part of the valley the coldest region.

Temperatures warm as one travels eastward through the Santa Ynez Valley.
We often see bud break in our vines in the third week of February, a happenstance that is not as worrisome as in Northern climes because we rarely get a late frost. This jump-start in vine growth sets up a long growing season with the harvest of Pinot Noir usually occurring in September.

As we feared, a late frost affected much of the Pinot Noir to the tune of 1.6 ton/acre (about half of normal). Fortunately, the berries were small and the growing season was moderate leading to a wine of greater concentration than normal.

Suggested retail: 30.00/750ml

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