This a perfect wine for both the impatient drinker and the collector. Like most well made Pinot, enjoy now or age gracefully for another 5-10 years.
VINEYARD
Hirsch Vineyards is comprised of 72 acres along the Sonoma Coast, divided into 67 individual farming blocks, corresponding to the dramatic and sudden changes in soil and aspect created by the Fault. This degree of fragmentation is unmatched even by the famously subdivided vineyards of Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits. The vineyard has a fearsome diversity of soils, aspects, elevations and microclimates. This complexity defines their farming and winemaking practices: each block was individually developed and is now farmed, harvested and vinified separately. Other well known wines from this site include Kistler, Littorai and Williams Selyem.
WINEMAKING
After a 3-day cold soak, the Pinot Noir warms up naturally over 3 more days to begin fermentation with native yeasts while retaining 30% whole cluster. Hirsch Vineyards is biodynamically farmed on wide variety of soils with most of the grapes in this wine grown on fractured sandstone and clay.
VINTAGE
2016 was a good year to be a grapevine, after four years of drought the winter finally gave up a bit of rain. The growing season, although somewhat warm and early, was forgiving as the fruit came in the door in excellent shape across the board. After the lower yields of the previous vintage, it was nice to have a good amount of fruit to work with.
Vintage: 2016
Wine Type: Red, Still, Dry
Farming: Biodynamic
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Hirsch Vineyard
Appellation: Sonoma Coast
Winemaker: Byron Kosuge
91 Points, Wine Spectator
This is a big wine with luxurious texture. Deep red-purple with aromas of black currents, blackberry, plum, chocolate, earthy forest floor, licorice, graphite, and subtle floral notes of violet, spice and cracked pepper. The palate is full, structured and balanced with blackberry, currant, black cherry fruit with notes of earth, firm acid and silky tannins. Finishes big with blackberry fruit and peppery spice.
90 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Loaded with old-vine character in every sip. Combining 42% Carignane, 38% Mourvèdre and 20% Zinfandel, from vines over 130 years in age. Dark red in color with black cherry, cassis, pomegranate, plum, cocoa, and highlights of cranberry, black pepper, tar and earth. Velvety mouthfeel, great structure with black cherry, pomegranate, chocolate, tar and peppery spice. Satisfies the palate with a long spicy fruit driven finish.
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