• VINTAGE: 2015
• APPELLATION: Sta. Rita Hills
• COMPOSITION: 100% Pinot Noir / 777 clone
• PRODUCTION: 70 cases
• VINEYARD: Radian Vineyard / Yield: < 1.5 tons/acre

Radian is located at the extreme western end of the Sta. Rita Hills and one of the coolest vineyards of the entire California West Coast with extreme steep slopes of clay loam and diatomaceous earth, giving a distinct minerality to the wine. The Radian Vineyard produces wines with intensity, strong minerality, and a depth of flavor even at low alcohol levels. The vineyard is regularly subjected to high winds which keep temperatures cool and moisture low. This hostile environment causes the vines to struggle and only a tiny crop of small clusters are able to ripen due to the steep southern slope exposure. The resulting wines are lean and intense, with strong minerality and a depth of flavor even at low alcohol levels.

WINEMAKING:

100% whole cluster, hand-picked on August 29th @ 23 brix. Due to the long ongoing drought, vines were very stressed with extreme low yields. The fruit was hand sorted and soaked cold for three days, after which native yeast fermentation was allowed to proceed under temperature-controlled conditions, in stainless steel open-top fermentors. During 3-week primary fermentation, fruit was foot stomped with gentle punch downs, aged 16 months in 33% new French oak barrels.

WINEMAKER: James Sparks