91 Points - Wine Enthusiast
Juicy, yet sophisticated stuff, Calera, Swan, 115 and 667. The fruit is pumping.
14 months in French oak, bottled unfined, unfiltered. BOOM!
The winery continues to receive accolades and awards for producing exceptional world-class wines. In Wine Spectator Magazine’s year-end ranking of wines, Whitehall Lane has been honored three times for producing wines rated among the top five in the world.
Voted Winery of the Year from Quarterly Review of Wine & Spirits Magazine. Napa Valley Life Magazine has also rated their tasting room as Best Tasting Room in Napa Valley.
VINEYARD
The Petaluma Gap AVA is one of the newest grape growing regions in California. The region is known for its naturally formed 15-mile-wide "gap" in the coastal range mountains that pulls cool coastal air in when the inland valley air heats up. The wind comes in from the ocean off Tomales Bay and Bodega Bay, bottlenecks as it goes through the gap, building up speed, and empties into the San Francisco Bay. It consistently produces powerful, concentrated Pinot in the New World-style. The Petaluma Gap moderates warm spells in the summer and fall, and enables the fruit to hang into late September and October for optimal ripening and balance.
WINEMAKING
The Pinot Noir harvested from the Sonoma Stage Vineyard are Calera, Swan, 115, and 667 clones. Upon hand harvesting in the early morning hours, grapes were carefully destemmed and sent to tank for a whole-berry fermentation. The grapes were cold-soaked in tank at 45°F for 4-7 days, allowing for increased color, aroma, and flavor extraction. After inoculation with a select yeast, the grape must (juice, skins, and seeds) fermented at 82°F, which allowed for a hot extraction on the skins. For fermentation cap management, the juice was pumped over the skins two times per day, wetting the cap evenly for a nice healthy fermentation. This small lot was aged in French oak barrels (35% new) for 14 months and was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
VINTAGE
The 2020 vintage in the Petaluma Gap AVA was considered a warmer season than usual for a cool grape growing appellation. Bud break began in early March, leading to a Spring that had few showers and was relatively dry. Summer was also quite warm and long, leading into a steady Autumn harvest season. This consistent weather encouraged Pinot Noir grapes to ripen into early October.
Winemaker: Jason Moulton
Vintage: 2020
Appellation: Petaluma Gap, Sonoma Valley
Vineyard: Sonoma Stage Vineyard
Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir (Calera, Swan, 115 and 667 clones)
Aging: 35% new French oak, 14 months, bottled unfined and unfiltered
Alcohol: 14%
90 Points
Ruby-plum core with a light purple rim in the glass. The palate opens with cranberry, cherry fruit and wood spice dominate. Cherry and plum notes pump through with a medium-bodied texture. Smooth tannins and soft finish showcase its layered complexity.
92 Points
Aromas of red raspberry, jammed dark fruit, cinnamon spice and clove. Hints of sliced ripe plum, black tea and lavender oil adds to its complexity. Flavors of blueberry, elderberry, and cranberry are enhanced with oak spice and baking notes from the barrels. These flavors marry with soft tannins for a long and mouthwatering finish.
92 Points
Juicy blackberries and black cherries accented by mint and chocolate. Full-bodied, deeply colored, with a hint of white pepper, dried herbs and toasted bread. Delivers a substantial mid-palate of dark fruits, black tea, baked cherry, fruit preserves and licorice. Sophisticated and sumptuous. A great example of the varietal, brooding with depth and complexity. Notes of toast and oak, with integrated tannins and textural polish on the finish.
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