An old friend, who always reminds me of why I am so passionate about Pinot Noirs from the Russian River Valley. Mature vine (planted in 1974) produced aromas of […]
Read More| TA | 0.69g/100mL |
|---|---|
| pH | 3.35 |
| Alc. | 14.2% |
| Sugar | residual sugars... |
| Barrel Description | 63% new, 37% 1yr. |
|---|---|
| Barrel Aged | 14 months |
An old friend, who always reminds me of why I am so passionate about Pinot Noirs from the Russian River Valley. Mature vine (planted in 1974) produced aromas of fresh black cherries, chanterelle mushrooms, cardamom, lavender and cola. Now a much more textural wine with flavors of kirsch, pie spices and creamy toasted oak. The wonderful balance of acidity and tannin leave your mouth watering for another taste. Rich silky tannin makes this one to enjoy for many years.
The 2011 vintage was marked by another cool year that produced wines with tremendous purity and depth. Similar in many ways to 2010 – without the extremes – it had very low yields and below average cooler weather. But, the growing season in 2011 was much more consistent with gentle warming days and very cold summer nights. As a consequence, the vintage produced wines with incredible purity, remarkable acid and tannin balance, while expressing the uniqueness of each individual site and region. The winter months brought abundant rainfall and kept the soil moist and cold.Bud break was delayed until the last week of March. Cool and overcast spring weather allowed for a slow growth cycle of the vines and likewise delayed flowering by a week to ten days. It rained several times at the end of May and early June, which affected the berry set and shattered many clusters — up to 20% of the berries on a cluster did not set. The rain also created protracted flowering and therefore a wider range of berry maturity. This type of flowering is similar to what typically happens in coastal vineyards. With a wide range of berry development with respect to flavor and tannin, the resultant wines exhibit a tremendous amount of depth and complexity. The cool spring gave way to beautiful and mild weather in early summer and the lighter crop was able to mature at an even pace. In late August, the fog rolled in a little heavier than normal, which slowed down ripening a small amount. Harvest commenced on September 7th, and continued at an even pace until the remainder of the grapes were harvested just prior to the early October rains. Overall, yields were down in almost every vineyard – almost 25% lower in some cases. The 2011 vintage may initially be remembered for the lower yields, but it will be defined by some incredibly site-driven and expressive wines. The signature of this vintage is one where the wines have bright fruit qualities, sound acidities and elegant tannin profiles. It is truly a vintage worth seeking.
Bright ruby. High-pitched, spice-accented aromas of raspberry, candied cherry, Asian spices and smoky minerals. Taut and sharply focused red fruit flavors gain flesh with air, along with exotic spicecake and lavender pastille notes.
This fresh, softly mellow and creamy wine is utterly captivating with bright summer red-berry and tree-fruit, vanilla, cherry liqueur, brown sugar and toast flavors. Absolutely delicious now, it is a silky feast for the senses and should easily negotiate the next 8–10 years.
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2011 Hirsch Vineyard Pinot Noir