2010 Couloir Monument Tree Vineyard
Pinot noir

TASTING NOTES

With deep, purple garnet hues, this single vineyard Pinot noir greets you with lifted aromatics of neroli, violets, red fruit and late summer bramble. The experience on the palate is broad, velvety and mouth-filling with layers of ripe cherry, black pepper, sweet oak vanilla, autumn leaves and citrus peel. The flavors evolve amidst a perfectly balanced core of structural components and fine, integrated tannins which linger long into a delightful, rich finish. Medium-high acidity and youthful stem tannins are prelude to its ageability. This is classic Anderson Valley Pinot noir.

VINEYARD NOTES

Named for the landmark redwood tree that looms like a proud parent over the vineyard, Monument Tree was planted in 1999 to Dijon clones. The soils are comprised of gravelly loam which lends a unique, site-specific black spice character with a brilliant spine of bright acidity. This low vigor site was originally planted by Napa Valley’s famed Duckhorn Vineyards and is now owned by Twomey Cellars. Situated in the Deep End of Anderson Valley, this is the definition of a true, cool climate vineyard. The east and northeast facing aspects of the vineyard allow the fruit to enjoy morning light, while avoiding the heat of the afternoon sun. Organically farmed, this is a quintessential, premiere cru vineyard for Anderson Valley.

WINEMAKER NOTES

Each of the three Pinot noir clones (777, 667 & 115) were hand harvested separately into half-ton picking bins and brought directly to Turley Wine Cellars. Dry ice was feathered into the bins to prevent spoilage and oxidation. The bins were placed in cold storage for a 24-hour resting period before processing. All of the fruit was then hand-sorted. Approximately half of the fruit was de-stemmed, adding a layer of complexity to the final wine. The bright flavor and taste profile of this Pinot noir comes partly from one third of the fruit which was fermented whole cluster. The grapes then received a cold soak for seven days to extract maximum color from the Pinot noir skins, while the chill prohibited the start of fermentation. The fruit was then removed from refrigeration, warming and activating the native yeasts. One gentle punch down per day ensured minimal tannin extraction from the skins, allowing the stem tannins to provide the wine’s structure. The grapes were then pressed and the wine was gravity fed into six French oak barrels, two of which were new. The wine received no racking, nor fining, nor filtering.

TECHNICAL DATA

Variety 100% Pinot noir
Vineyard Monument tree, Anderson Valley
Production 141 cases
Optimal Maturity 2012-2018
Harvested Oct 1
Barrel Aging 10 Months, 30% new French Oak
Alcohol 13.3%
Acidity 6.2g/L
pH 3.72
Winemaker Jon Grant

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