2020 PINOT NOIR | SAN LUIS OBISPO COAST
2020 PINOT NOIR | SAN LUIS OBISPO COAST
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This medium-bodied Pinot Noir hails from a unique vineyard less than a mile from the Pacific Ocean. The cool ocean fog mixed with bright sunny days produce an elegantly balanced cool-climate wine, with notes of ripe cherry, rhubard, and a little white pepper.
The Derbyshire Vineyard sits on the San Luis Obispo Coast, one of California’s newest AVAs. It's a throwback to extreme farming at the whim of the environment.
In more traditional growing regions, viticultural choices drastically impact fruit quality and yield. Out on the coast, though, those farming choices almost feel insignificant compared to the effect of the cool ocean air and variations in weather. During years of higher than average yields, like 2020, the result is a sophisticated wine that is a bit lighter in color and texture.
In other words, when you drink this wine, you’re really tasting the grapes as Mother Nature intended them.
Learn More about the Pinot
Only 15 miles at its widest point, the San Luis Obispo Coast AVA runs along the coastal benchlands, hillsides, and valleys between the Pacific Ocean and the western slope of the Santa Lucia Mountains. One of the newest AVAs in California, it finally got its approval in March of 2022, a long awaited designation that separates it from the warmer growing areas on the inland side of the mountains. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay dominate the region.
The grapes for this wine hail from the Derbyshire Vineyard. They were hand-harvested at night to avoid spontaneous fermentation, and aged for 10 months in neutral oak barrels and 6 months in stainless steel. Nicely balanced acidity, with light dusty tannins and a medium ruby-red color.
Just twenty-five years ago, few would have dreamed of considering an AVA in this stretch of coastline, with its foggy, windy, cool temperatures. But with soil ranging from marine to volcanic, low temperatures from the ocean, and bright sunlight, the resulting wines have a vibrancy and elegance that reflect a coastal climate. So next time you visit this beautiful stretch of California coastline, take a peek up at the vineyards along the hillsides.
Tasting Notes: Ripe Cherry, Rhubarb, Orange Zest, White Pepper
Recommended Pairings: Lamb Shank, Mushroom Risotto, Seared Tuna
Technical Details
Body:
Medium
Varietal:
100% Pinot Noir (Clones 667, 777, 115)
Appellation:
San Luis Obispo Coast
Harvest Dates:
Hand-picked, night harvest: 9/11/2020 - 9/18/2020
Fermentation:
10% whole cluster, Stainless Steel
Aging:
10 months Neutral French Oak, 6 months Stainless Steel
Alcohol by Volume:
13.7%
Residual Sugar:
0.5%
TA:
6.2 g/L
pH:
3.60
Brix:
