Pinot Noir Goodchild Vineyard 2008

Vineyards

We are always interested in seeing what other growers would do with Pinot Noir. Louie Lucas grows Chardonnay for us and had planted a small acreage of Pinot Noir. It is interesting that while Bien Nacido, just across the Sisquoc River, produces deeply colored very concentrated wines, Goodchild tends toward lighter wines with finesse and elegance.

Winemaking

With Pinot Noir we take a minimal approach to wine making. Fermentations are carried out with as little manipulation as possible. We use a gentle crusher, one short pump-over per day and cool soak the grapes prior to the onset of fermentation. The wine is always elegant, perfumed and alluring. Our aging program is always in French Oak barrels, which are heavily toasted during the bending of the staves. This toasting gives a smoky aromatic backdrop to the wonderful cherry fruit aromas and flavors. The wine spends a minimum of 12 months in barrel before bottling.