2021 Pinot Blanc
End of Vintage
In Stock
Dave Nagengast, our VP of Winemaking, describes Pinot Blanc as “the white wine for red wine drinkers”. With more weight than most other white varietals, it is opulent, round and creamy, yet finishes with a bright acidity. For such a cool, intriguing wine, why aren’t there more Pinot Blancs out there? For starters, it’s persnickety in the vineyard and low-yielding. It’s the genetic cousin of Pinot Gris, which is a genetic mutation of Pinot Noir, which is quite a capricious varietal. Our 2021 Pinot Blanc is expressive, with fragrant aromas of yellow apple, ripe pear and stone fruit. On the palate, it is medium-bodied with a soft, round mouthfeel. The lingering finish has subtle notes of caramel and vanilla.
Wine Specs
Vintage
2021
Varietal
Pinot Blanc
Appellation
Monterey
Harvest Date
Sep 24, 2021
pH
3.51
Aging
French oak 66% new, 8 months
Bottling Date
Jun 17, 2022
Alcohol %
13.9
Wine Profile
Vineyard
The windy maritime climate of Monterey County is ideally situated for the cool-climate loving Pinot Blanc. The cool afternoon breezes keep heat stress at bay, an absolute necessity for top quality Pinot Blanc. The long growing season allows the fruit to reach optimum flavor development on the vine while maintaining crisp acidity.
Varietal Composition
100% Pinot Blanc
Winemaking
The grapes were hand-sorted and picked into half-ton bins. Upon delivery to the winery, the grapes were gently whole cluster pressed to prevent oxidation and avoid extraction of any harsh tannins. The juice was then racked clean to barrels for fermentation. A barrel fermentation warms up to a higher temperature as compared to a stainless steel fermentation. This allows a greater extraction of oak tannins from the barrel, adding roundness and a fuller mouthfeel to the wine. The wine was aged in French oak barrels (66% new) for 8 months.
Cases Produced
306