Landmark Vineyards
Hop Kiln Estate Pinot Noir
2019
About this winery
We source from vineyards that each claim a unique microclimate and soil composition. Through careful blending, our winemaker creates wines that balance and enhance those characteristics.The resulting blend is greater than the sum of its parts.
See the Landmark Vineyards detail page for more information on this brand
Product notes
Our Hop Kiln Estate Vineyard continues to provide our winemaker Greg Stach with fruit of exceptional quality and diversity. The 2019 vintage started out with some Winter Atmospheric River events that caused flooding in Sonoma County and along the Russian River which borders our Estate on the eastern side of the property. The weather event in late February flooded approximately 20 acres of the vineyard adjacent to the river, even though the river water level is normally about 60 yards from the vineyard. Fortunately, the vines were dormant and other than some damage from debris flow during the flood, the vineyard survived. A mild growing season progressed into a memorable harvest with grapes that expressed the vineyard with character and intensity. Our 4th offering of the Hop Kiln Estate Pinot Noir comes from grapes harvested from a section of the Estate that we refer to as "Twin Corners" which was named for the two 90 degree turns on Westside Road that border this part of the Estate Vineyard. We continue to be very proud of this Estate Pinot Noir and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Production notes
The 2019 vintage was primarily sourced from the Three Corners section of the vineyard along with 'the hill', which lies on the same level of the vineyard as the Hop Kilns and is derived from multiple clones. Harvest began on September 7 and each block was de-stemmed into one-ton fermenters and cold soaked for five days before fermentation took place. During fermentation, the wine was gently punched down twice a day, drained, and pressed at dryness. The free run was then put into French oak (40% new) barrels and allowed to age sur-lie for 10 months. The wine is racked and blended shortly before bottling. 43 barrels were produced.
Tasting notes
Bright ruby at the core with notes of freshly baked cherry pie, ripe strawberries, toasted spice, leather, and elegant violets. The palate is medium bodied and dry, with ripe raspberry and redcurrant on the entry, followed on the mid palate by blackberry and baking spice with subtle notes of freshly turned earth adding to the wine’s complexity. The finish is moderately long with fine, but grippy tannins and bright, fresh acidity that cleanses the palate and invites another taste.