2022 Rio Vista Vineyard Pinot Noir
2022 Rio Vista Vineyard Pinot Noir
New Release! A luscious, fruit-forward Pinot ready to enjoy.
Description
Rio Vista reliably brings lots of fresh, vibrant fruit aromas and flavors to the table, and our 2022 bottling is no exception. Red fruits dominate here, giving a nose full of strawberries and red plums layered over subtle hints of rhubarb, leather and forest floor. The palate is like a medley of red cherries, cinnamon and cloves. Vibrant acidity and velvety tannins mean this wine is approachable and food-friendly, perfect for an afternoon sipper or a star for your holiday feasts.
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
The 2022 harvest was tracking to be a little later than usual due to cool summer weather, but Labor Day weekend brought a significant heat bump which accelerated the pace. Berry size was smaller than average, which resulted in smaller yields across the appellation this year. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were picked quickly in the first two weeks of September. Then the weather cooled a bit and ripening slowed, with Syrah staying on the vine well into October. Grapes at Rio Vista were harvested on September 2nd.
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 11 months in French oak barrels with 14% new French oak. This Pinot Noir was bottled unfined on August 16th, 2023.
| Vintage |
2022 |
| Wine Style |
Red Wine |
| Varietal |
100% Pinot Noir |
| Appellation |
Sta. Rita Hills |
| Harvest Date |
9/2/2022 |
| Acid |
6 g/l |
| PH |
3.82 |
| Alcohol % |
12.8 |
| Size |
750 ml |
