2019 Merryvale Pinot Noir Brown Ranch

Winemaking

The fruit for this single vineyard bottling of Pinot Noir came from Brown Ranch on the Napa side of Carneros. Hand harvested before dawn in early September, the grapes were whole berry fermented after a 5-day cold soak in open top stainless steel tanks using native yeasts. We performed hand punchdowns, minimal pumpovers, then drained and pressed at dryness— a Classic Burgundian approach. The wine spent 18 months in French oak barrels, of which 30% were new, before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Tasting Notes

2019 was a great vintage for Pinot Noir in Carneros. Average temperatures and a long growing season led into an ideal harvest where all grapes were picked at optimum ripeness and balance. A Pinot Noir for those who love the classic Carneros New World style from one of the great Carneros Pinot vineyards. Exhibiting aromas of ripe black cherries, cola, and brambly red fruits, this medium bodied, silky Pinot is loaded with layers of pleasure. All the aromatics come through on the palate, combining with a hint of new oak spice. Still retaining the trademark regional bright acidity, this wine is long, complex, and will evolve and delight over the next 10 years.