2019-C Matias Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, California (750ml)
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A Monthly Wine Club Selection
Jason Enos began discovering the world of fine wines while living in Los Gatos and working in tech. Thanks to his successful 25-year career in Silicon Valley, he was able to purchase a five-acre vineyard estate in Dry Creek Valley in 2004. While his expertise was in the business world, it was the first harvest in 2005 from his Enos estate that inspired him to think more seriously about the wine industry. After getting to know his Healdsburg neighbor, Chris Fitzgerald—who was also successful in tech and had started the Bench wine label—the two new friends founded Brack Mountain Wine Company in 2008. Brack functions as a négotiant of sorts, creating wines under a collection of different labels. Chris's son Daniel, who had been the head winemaker at Pellegrini Family Vineyards, joined the company a year later as the Director of Winemaking. Daniel's experience working in the cellars at Williams Seylem, Robert Sinskey, and Coldstream Hills Winery in Australia's Yarra Valley taught him much about making great wines. We have carried many great Brack Mountain wines over the years, including selections under the Bench, L'Oliveto, Cypress and Daniel labels.
100% sustainably farmed Pinot Noir, sourced from the Cousins Vineyard in Russian River Valley. Two-thirds of the grapes were de-stemmed and transferred by gravity to open-top fermenters, the remaining third was left whole cluster and added to the bottom of the tank. After a five-day cold soak, the tank was taken off cooling. The must was fermented with indigenous yeast to promote complexity and terroir. The wine was pressed off slightly before dryness to minimize harsh phenols and retain its core of fruit. Malolactic fermentation was completed with indigenous flora. The wine was then aged in 100% French oak (30% new), from the forests of Tronçais and Chatillon in central France. Bright garnet. The nose is rich with ripe cherries and baking spices. The palate is mouth-filling with layers of dark cherry, plum and red berry fruit and a touch of toasted cinnamon. The finish is soft, supple and satisfyingly long.