2021 Rio Vista Vineyard Pinot Noir
2021 Rio Vista Vineyard Pinot Noir
Perfect for afternoon sipping on the patio or pairing with cedar-plank salmon.
Description
This is our first vineyard-designate bottling from Rio Vista and it does not disappoint. Pinot from this vineyard is always very generous with fruit aromatics and flavors. The nose gives us notes of strawberries, candied cherries and baking spices. The mouthfeel is lush and juicy with hints of red currants and tart cherry, followed by vanilla and toasted brioche on the finish. This wine is perfect for afternoon sipping on the patio or pairing with cedar-plank salmon.
Vineyard Notes
Ken Brown has worked with this meticulously farmed vineyard for many years. Planted in the early 2000s, Rio Vista is located at the southeastern end of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation. The slightly warmer microclimate results in luscious, ripe Pinot Noir. The dominant soils are limestone, sedimentary soils and a marine layer of sandy loam. The Pinot Noir clones planted on the estate include 777, 2A, 115, 667, 828, Pommard and Calera.
Production Notes
Sta. Rita Hills experienced an unseasonably cool growing season in 2021, pushing back vineyard development and ripening by an average of two weeks. Our harvest kicked off on September 8, then stalled for two weeks while grapes continued to ripen. Harvest continued well into October concluding with the final harvest of Radian Pinot Noir on October 18. The long hang time has encouraged excellent flavor development, complexity and concentration. The grapes for this wine were harvested on September 8th.
Winemaker Notes
Pinot Noir clusters for this wine were hand sorted before being de-stemmed and gravity fed to fermenters. The must was immediately chilled for a pre-fermentation cold soak where the most beneficial extraction of color, aroma and flavor occurs. Fermentation was accomplished using native yeasts. Concentration was enhanced by gently punching down the cap several times per day. The wine aged 10 months in French oak barrels with 16% new French oak. This Pinot Noir was bottled unfined and unfiltered on August 16th, 2022.
| Vintage |
2021 |
| Wine Style |
Red Wine |
| Varietal |
100% Pinot Noir |
| Appellation |
Sta. Rita Hills |
| Acid |
6.5 g/l |
| PH |
3.7 |
| Alcohol % |
14.2 |
| Size |
750 ml |
