91 Points - Wine Enthusiast
Juicy, yet sophisticated stuff, with Calera, Swan, 115 and 667.
14 months in French oak, bottled unfined and unfiltered. BOOM!
This 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.
Recently 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%
All Wines
Big & Voluptuous!
Dark ruby in color with deep, ripe aromas of black cherry and wild blackberry, with nuances of vanilla, fruitcake, mocha, and a touch of savory smoked meat. Layered fruit flavors with a plush, textural mouthfeel and good length. The tannins are moderate and silky, with well-integrated French oak. The overall impression is a big, voluptuous-yet-balanced mouthful of delicious flavors.
94 Points
Deep garnet in color from the ripe 2018 vintage, with open aromas of lush fruit – plum, blackberry, and cherry, and notes of cedar, vanilla, and white pepper. Across the palate it's quite seamless and silky, rich and concentrated. The fruit flavors are bold and vibrant. Mouth-filling with smooth tannins, great texture and a long delicious finish.
Chewy & Ripe!
Dark purplish-black with aromas of ripe black plums, bacon, blackberry jam, and black tea. Dense, chewy and ripe across the palate with a nice mid-palate texture and weight. Rich, structured, and complex, with a long evolving finish.
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