SONOMA-CUTRER VINE HILL VINEYARDS PINOT NOIR

SONOMA-CUTRER ®
VINE HILL VINEYARDS PINOT NOIR
Vintage 2012 • Russian River Valley Pinot Noir • Estate Bottled
OBSERVATIONS ON A VINTAGE
We started the year with significantly low rainfall, but significant April showers
helped to get the season started. By early May, perfect weather arrived and
remained throughout the summer months, right up to the start of the Pinot
harvest. We started the Pinot harvest in the hillside blocks of the Vine Hill
Ranch on September 4. The cool mornings and warm afternoons allowed for
longer hang time with the fruit coming in from Vine Hill Ranch, slow and
steady over the next two weeks. We finished the Vine Hill harvest on September
17. The near perfect weather resulted in a long ripening season providing us
with classically elegant, fruit-driven Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.
OUR VINE HILL VINEYARD
ON THE WINE
This vintage of our Vine Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir comes from select lots
within the C (Pommard clone) and BB (677 clone) blocks in the northeast
corner of the vineyard, harvested September 4th through the 7th . Grapes
were picked by hand early each morning into small bins and hand-sorted
before a gentle destemming. During the four-day cold soak and the eight- to
twelve-day fermentation, the wine was punched down by hand in small,
open-top fermenters. When we judge the moment has arrived, the wine is
gently pressed using a basket press and gravity-racked into the barrels. We’ve
aged our Pinot Noir in a regimen of one-third each new, once-used, and
twice-used French oak. After resting in oak for 16 months, the final blend is
assembled and prepared for bottling. It is then allowed to evolve in the bottle
for an additional 6 months.
This is a deep, powerful, and richly structured Pinot Noir with great length.
Deep aromas of black cherry, earth, cherry pie, black currant, and blackberry
are mingled with sweet oak and warm vanilla bean. Rich, deep flavors of black
cherry and blackberry are accented with earth notes and a nice barrel spice on
the finish. We consider it to be the best Vine Hill single vineyard Pinot Noir
produced to date!
Please Share the Cutrer Responsibly.
Alcohol: 14.3% • TA: 5.96 gms/L
pH: 3.45 • RS: 0.33 gms/L
100% Pinot Noir
Vineyard Lots: 50% C, 50% BB
©2014 Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards®, Windsor, Sonoma County, California USA • Visit Sonoma-Cutrer on the web at www.sonoma-cutrer.com
The Vine Hill Vineyard is Sonoma-Cutrer’s largest and among its most
coveted. Its dominating characteristic is the Goldridge soil; sandy, deep and
gravelly. As a hillside vineyard at a higher-than-usual elevation, it has moderate
temperature fluctuation and a fog cover that burns off quickly. The soil drains
particularly well and is perfect for growing Pinot Noir grapes. Each slope, ridge
and valley produces individual characteristics which contribute unique
characteristics to the final Pinot Noir blend. The Pinot Noir grapes planted
here have deep color, elegance, and balance.