Ancien Pinot Noir 2020, Carneros, Napa Valley, California

This Pinot Noir comes entirely from the Toyon Vineyard, a SW-facing slope located in the Napa side of Carneros. The top soil is rich, dark clay that averages 24 inches in depth. These soils promote a dark, brooding fruit, emphasizing texture and tannin. The entire lot was separated into 1 ton, open-top fermenters, employing traditional punch-downs by hand in order to achieve optimal extraction. About 5% of the fruit was fermented as whole clusters. The wine was aged in an array of French cooperage, nearly half new, and gently racked once prior to bottling. Grapes, must, and wines were moved using gravity through to the barrel and using inert gas through racking and bottling. “The focused concentration of this vintage gives us a spiced nose with vibrant sour black raspberry and wild cherry cola notes. The luxurious palate is loaded with dark berries and combines seamlessly with hints of dark chocolate, anise, and Brazil nut. The palate is full of textural, mouth-coating tannins balanced by a bright acidity. The chewy tannins, earthy spices and minerality complement the fruit and floral notes signature to this wine. The palate will continue to develop in opulence over years of aging, revealing even darker layers and more earth notes.” – From the Winery