Pinot Noir Durell Vineyard

Vineyards

Located in the northwest corner of the Carneros region adjacent to the Petaluma Gap, Durell Vineyard is in a warmer location surrounded by the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains. This protection makes the vineyard less windy, which also helps ripening. The wines made from Durell tend to be bigger and have more body due to the protected location. We harvest the Durell 10-14 days prior to harvesting the grapes from Sangiacomo, even though they are only two miles apart. Many of the most prestigious wineries in California purchase grapes from this vineyard.

Read more about Durell Vineyard in a recent Santa Rosa Press-Democrat article about Durell and viticulturalist Steve Hill.

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. 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. We usually bottle the wine in December of the following year, so at a minimum the wine spends 12 months in French Oak barrels.