The Taste

Black Cherry, Redwood Spice, Dried Mushroom

The Science

The Magic

• 30% whole cluster fermented in open-top stainless steel tanks
• Fermented warm to 85 degrees
• Punched down and pumped over 2-3 times per day
• Aged for 11 months in French oak (65% new)

The Alchemists

George Troquato, Winemaker
Alejandro Aldama, Cellar Master

The Grape

Pinot Noir is considered a noble grape of the Burgundy region in France. It is also grown widely in the Santa Cruz Mountains. By combining grapes from different vineyards within this AVA, we capture characteristics specific to the region: complex aromatics, concentrated flavors, and spice—resulting in elegant, age-worthy wines.

The Land

Remde Vineyard, in Watsonville, is composed of sandy loam soils. Influenced by the maritime climate, wines produced from this vineyard are vibrant and balanced. The warmer climate of Jewel Vineyards produces small clusters of dark fruit that result in complex wines. At 1,000 feet in elevation lies Casa Toyon vineyard, which sees morning fog and afternoon sunlight. The soils here are lean and rocky.. 

The Season

In 2016, rainfall was higher than it was in the previous 5 years, bringing some relief to an ongoing drought. Temperatures on average were warm, producing grapes that were fully ripe with above-average crop size. Given these conditions, 2016 was a stellar vintage.