2016 BOOTLEGGER'S HILL PINOT NOIR
VINTAGE NOTES
The 2016 vintage—the last of the recent drought years—delivered a sustained but commanding performance.
After a cold snap in the beginning of January, lack of rain and warm weather brought an early bud break. Mother Nature decided to get feisty in late spring, delivering a heat spike that lasted well into the early summer. Mercifully, August was milder than July, which slowed down maturation of the flavor and phenolics.
Temperatures rose slightly again in September but cooled off later in the month stretching out the harvest. This late-season mellow gave us extended time between picks during harvest. That, in turn, translated into heightened flavor development and greater depth in the wines.
Ultimately, we started picking about two and a half weeks earlier than average, and yield was about 85 to 90 percent of the annual average this decade. Harvest pace was good and even, and we picked in multiple small passes to unlock the purity of the fruit. This strategy enabled us to create numerous individual lots, that we later blended together to make the complex and nuanced wines you have before you. As always, the finished product reflects the very best of the site.
TASTING NOTES
Aromatics: Bright raspberry and strawberry, pomegranate, red fruit, and geosmin, with subtle notes of rose hip tea.
Flavors: Black cherry tea, a whisper of cardamom with a dense snap of pomegranate.
Texture: Fine, moderate tannins, persistent elegance throughout, laying down nicely on the palate that is determined and mouthwatering, with an expression of wet rock.
”Harvest pace was good and even, and we picked in multiple small passes to unlock the purity of the fruit. This strategy enabled us to create numerous individual lots, that we later blended together to make the complex and nuanced wines you have before you.”
WHY WE HOLD OUR WINES BACK
Our plan was always to release the wines once they had time to develop. We’ve always believed that a little extra time in our cellar makes the experience a little better in yours. While these wines are enjoyable now, they will certainly benefit from age and cellar gracefully over the coming years. If possible, we recommend decanting before enjoying.
TECHNICAL DATA
Harvest Dates: 9/5/16 till 9/25/16
Clones: 23, 37, 115, Calera, Pommard,667
Alcohol: 14.2% pH: 3.67 Acidity: 5.9
Production: 530 c/s Yield per acre: 2.3 tons
