Cherry Pie Stanly Ranch Pinot Noir 2007

The nose is redolent of dark Bing cherries, hints of black and white pepper on meat roasting in a wood oven, memories of English plum pudding steaming at Christmas, a touch of saddle leather, warm spice and tobacco at a distance. The nose continues to build and unfold with hints of violets and Portobello mushrooms, blackberries, minerals and sweet earth. It envelops the palette, almost to the point of overwhelming, then opens up to show beautiful balance and sophistication, and an elegant, glycerol texture. Explosive on the palette, it transforms midway into every red berry you’ve ever tasted. The finish lingers uncovering a wisp of anise, blackberry honey, and golden pastry roasting in the oven…Cherry Pie.

Viticulture at Stanly Ranch began in the 1880’s but fell off during prohibition. Stanly Ranch was first planted to Pinot Noir in the 1940s, when a clonal trial proved the ranch’s well-drained clay-loam soils and rolling hills ideal for growing the finicky varietal. The clones and blocks have been significantly refined over the years, and Stanly Ranch is now one of the most sought-after growers of Pinot Noir in California. After tasting our 2007 Cherry Pie Pinot Noir from the barrel, and deeming it one of the best ever made from their grapes, the owners of the ranch granted us free rein to choose from the very best blocks of the property for our wine.

The Carneros AVA straddles the southern parts of Napa and Sonoma Counties. It is the coolest wine region in Napa, with fog rolling in from San Pablo Bay at night, then peeling back late in the day to expose the grapes to the sun. Stanly Ranch is on the Napa side of Carneros and has myriad microclimate throughout its rolling hills, making for significant differences in terroir in each block of the vineyard. The Bay has a significant influence, the lower areas being the first to be covered with fog and the last to emerge while the hills remain in the sun the longest and see it earliest in the morning. We carefully choose the blocks and ferment in micro-lots to isolate the individual flavors and aromas, then only after significant time in barrel begin making the decisions that make arrive at the final blend.