Four Graces Pinot noir Reserve 08
Aromas of cherry, pomegranate and strawberry, mingle with violets. A dusting of mocha and hints of vanilla can be found. The palate shows spice with black pepper and some black currant notes. Silky tannins lead to a nice finish for this well balanced wine.
The Dundee Hills Reserve Pinot Noir is the result of ongoing observation in the vineyard to select the best fruit from specific rows and blocks. The Black Family Estate Vineyard boasts jory soil which is well known for its iron-rich, fertile qualities. The grapes were hand picked at peak ripeness. The clusters were then hand sorted and fermentation took place over 13 days with alternating Pump Overs and Punch Downs. Barrel aged for 14 months, the wine was then cellared for a further 10 months.
Previous Vintage Tasting Notes
2005 Vintage Tasting Notes
2005 vintage tasting notes from the winery: The seamless, silky tannins and dense structure amply carry the dark fruit, black cherry and tobacco-leather flavors, as well as the raspberry and spice tones of signature Dundee Hills Pinot Noirs. Aromas of red roses with vanilla add complexity. The 2005 Reserve is blended from barrels (60% new French oak) that were consistently outstanding in their own right, and enhanced each other when combined. The blend for the 2005 Reserve Pinot Noir is: 48% Wadensville, 41% Dijon clone 115, 10% Dijon clone 114, and 2% Dijon clone 777.
From the winery: With aromas of red fruits and rhubarb, the Reserve displays an elegant finesse. Melon flavors with spices and vanilla add complexity. The mouthfeel is at first crisp and vibrant, evolving towards refined tannins, with the flavors of red fruit returning to linger in a long finish. Enjoy now, or in 4 to 6 years when this already exceptional wine is in its prime.
Our Reserve Pinot Noir is a blend of our finest clonal selections from our estate in Dundee, Oregon. Each vineyard block was hand-picked at optimal ripeness and chilled to 50 degrees F prior to a careful sorting of the fruit, allowing us to commence primary fermentation using 10% whole cluster. The wine was fermented with select Burgundian proprietary yeast in small stainless steel tanks, 2.5 to 5 tons. In the traditional Burgundian style open top tanks, the wine underwent daily punchdowns for a total of 22 days of skin contact, further enhancing the already soft and polished tannins. Gravity-fed into French oak barrels, the wine underwent malolactic fermentation and aged for 12 months in 69% new and one-year old barrels from a diversity of coopers with medium to heavy toast on the oak. Only the best barrels were selected for our Reserve Pinot Noir for a resulting blend of: 32% Wadensville, 49% Dijon Clone 115, 11% Dijon Clone 777, and 8% Dijon Clone 114. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
ALCOHOL: 14.5% PH: 3.70 TA: 5.25
