2017 Starmont Pinot Noir Coury Clone

Winemaking

The Coury clone is named for Charles Coury, who brought this clone to Carneros over 50 years ago. Charles Coury identified Carneros as one of the pre-eminent cool-climate wine regions in the world and we pay homage to him using his namesake clone. Handpicked on September 6th, the fruit was 100% destemmed into open-top fermenters, cold soaked for 3 days and fermented at an average temperature of 80° F for 5 days using native yeast. After a 6-day extended maceration for a total of 14 days on the skins, the wine was pressed and racked into barrels. The wine spent a total of 19 months in French oak barrels (25% new); was racked once after 7 months, then again just before bottling.

Tasting Notes

This wine comes from a single vineyard, but we think what makes it interesting and unique is the clonal material of this fruit. A classic expression of the Coury Clone on the nose showing aromas of mixed berries, but tending toward red such as strawberry and raspberry with the herbal note expressing as a hint of juniper. On the palate the 2017 has traded the somewhat rustic tannins for a refined and silky experience which is buoyed by fresh acidity for structure. A very approachable wine probably best if consumed by 2022 to take advantage of the bright characteristics.