2004 "R" Pinot Noir

Sisters Vineyard, Carneros, Napa Valley

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I must be honest; I had plenty of concerns about the 2004 Pinot Noir. After the first racking and preparing the wine for barrel aging, the color was washed out and it looked like a glorified rose. But as a winemaker one must be patient, and we let the wine age for fourteen months in top quality French oak barrels. The results are extraordinary. Perhaps this is part of the mystic aura of Pinot Noir, but I have never had a wine change so dramatically with barrel aging than the 2004 Pinot Noir from Bob Roger's Sisters Vineyard. The resulting wine has a deep ruby color and absolutely fantastic depth and richness.

Harvested on the 28th of August at 24.3 brix with a TA of 8.7 and a pH of 3.26 the grapes looked and tasted tremendous. Despite the early harvest the maturity was perfect. Following a typical week long fermentation the wine was pressed to barrels and after completing the malo-lactic fermentation the wine was racked and the 'rose' was returned to barrels. After just over a year in its French Oak cocoon a butterfly emerged and the wine was blended and bottled.

The 2004 has a deep ruby color. The hue's are holding on to a youthful purple edge and have not succumbed to the brickish orange so typical of Pinot Noir. The aromas are me&accute;lange of red fruits with cherry, plum and strawberry. A soft layer of oak with hints of hazelnut and mocha add just the right amount of complexity. In the mouth, luscious fruit flavors caress the palate with a rich creamy texture. The finish is long with tannins that melt into the horizon.

Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
14.3% Alc.
0.67 g/100ml TA 3.46 pH

Oak Regime:
100% French Oak

Released: April 1, 2006
188 Cases Produced
Suggested Retail Price: $28