2009 Pinot Noir

Rich, ripe and layered, delivering distinctive aromas and juicy flavors of fleshy black plum & fresh bing cherries laced with dried rose petal, cardamom and ceylon tea. Silky, almost creamy texture, the smooth tannins draw fresh fruit flavors to a long elegant finish. Will continue to improve with three to seven years cellaring from vintage date.

Rhinefarm Estate Vineyard Estate grown, produced and bottled Sustainably farmed Huichica clay-loam topsoil with light stream gravel deposits 10 vineyard blocks of Pinot Noir harvested in 16 winery lots Heritage selection vines up to 40 years old Seven-year-old Dijon 115, 667 and 777 clones Yield 3.5 tons/acre

Night harvested by hand in 10 lots Each lot processed separately based on distinct profile Three- to five-day cold soak Yeast strains RC212 Each lot fermented 14 days with twice-daily, gentle pump-overs Pressed before dryness to complete fermentation in barrel Final blend assembled one month before bottling 10 months in 100% French oak (40% new) Fine grain, medium toast to medium-plus toast Primary cooper Tonellerie Remond

Harvest Notes The 2009 growing season lent itself well to producing some of our finest wines to date. Springtime was pleasantly warm and mild as flowering progressed, with only calm winds coming through the Petaluma gap. The heat of the spring and early summer was comfortably average as the vines developed a strong canopy. We progressed through summer and early fall with moderate weather that was both a winegrower and winemaker’s dream.