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As usual, this is a brooding Pinot Noir, emphasizing dark flavors and rich textures. However, the nose is more explosive than usual leading with ripe berries kirsch, dried rose petals, strawberries and ripe plums accented by cacao, clove, and cardamom. The palate opens with more spices and mid-palate of plum, strawberry, and cherry. The palate continues to develop richness, filling the mouth nicely with round, ripe fruits. The weight is nicely counter-balanced by a bright acidity, and the finish moves again towards dried fruits, tobacco and dark chocolate, with a lingering and rich minerality. The wine is well-structured and will continue to gain depth and subtly for next next 5-8 years.
About the Vineyard...
Toyon Farm is located on a southwest-facing slope on the eastern (Napa)
side of the Carneros. The top soil is a rich, dark clay that averages
just around 24 inches in depth. These soils promote a dark, brooding
fruit, emphasizing texture and tannin. We planted the first block of
this vineyard in 1998 with cuttings originating from the Swan estate in
the Russian River Valley--and these, in turn, were brought from Burgundy
by Joseph Swan in the 1950's and '60's. A few years later, we planted a
second block of Dijon 115 vines to balance the deepness of the Swan,
emphasized in these soils, with some floral aromatics.
About
the Vintage...
2008 was a lesson in the primary importance of balance in the vineyard. A
drier than usual winter exacerbated the existing drought conditions,
and a late spring series of frosty mornings cut down the yields
considerably. A summer full of warm mornings coddled the fruit as it
developed and made for an earlier than average harvest. The lower yields
made it possible for the vines to withstand the stress of the drought
and deliver healthy, ripe fruit full of concentrated fruit flavor. The
vines achieved this level of balance naturally, and what started out
like difficult year resolved itself into a solid vintage, emphasizing
concentrated fruit flavors and subtle tannins. The density of the fruit
illuminated a different side of the Dijon fruit, producing a wine with
an intense palate and a long, subtle finish in addition to the more
typical and frontal aromatics.
About the Wine...
We separated the entire lot into 1 ton, open-top fermenters, employing
traditional punch-downs by hand in order to achieve optimal extraction.
About 5% of the fruit was fermented as whole clusters. The wine was aged
in an array of French cooperage, nearly half new, and gently racked
once prior to bottling. Grapes, must, and wines were moved using
gravity through to the barrel and using inert gas through racking and
bottling. Tasting Notes...
As usual, this is a brooding Pinot Noir, emphasizing dark flavors and
rich textures. However, the nose is more explosive than usual leading
with ripe berries kirsch, dried rose petals, strawberries and ripe plums
accented by cacao, clove, and cardamom. The palate opens with more
spices and mid-palate of plum, strawberry, and cherry. The palate
continues to develop richness, filling the mouth nicely with round, ripe
fruits. The weight is nicely counter-balanced by a bright acidity, and
the finish moves again towards dried fruits, tobacco and dark chocolate,
with a lingering and rich minerality. The wine is well-structured and
will continue to gain depth and subtly for next next 5-8 years.
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