Cakebread Cellars Two Creeks Pinot Noir

Grape varietal & region: The grapes for this Pinot Noir were grown on the family’s Annahala and Apple Barn vineyards in Anderson Valley, Mendocino County, where the nearby Pacific Coast and its cooling influence provide ideal ripening conditions for Pinot Noir. The Apple Barn Ranch sits just north of Booneville on the east side of the valley, where full sun exposure and gravelly soils give us ripe, concentrated fruit. Annahala Vineyard, closer to the ocean, experiences more time in the fog, and its Pinot Noir is characterized by delicate, nuanced expression. The Two Creeks Pinot Noir blends both vineyards expressions for beautiful balance between ripeness and natural acidity.

The season began with ample rainfall to fill the soils. A mild summer provided plenty of sunshine for grapes to ripen slowly and evenly, with foggy mornings preserving freshness in the fruit as it languished on the vines.

Taste profile: The wine pens with aromas of sweet black cherry, raspberry, rose petal and violet that carry over onto a fresh palate of raspberry and strawberry flavors. Round, silky tannins support the bright fruit. A touch of minerality complements the delicious red fruit expression over a smooth finish.

Winemaking process: The grapes were harvested at night to retain the freshness, natural acidity and fruit purity. The grapes were hand-sorted and destemmed before heading to small tanks—kept separate by each vineyard block. In tanks, the grapes were given time to “coldsoak,” which helped along the extraction of deep color and flavor and allowed native yeast to naturally begin fermentation. The team allowed a portion (20%) of this wine to fermented with its grape stems for spicy aromatics and complexity, and later they added cultured yeast to finish fermentation. After fermentation, the free-run wine was transferred to French oak barrels (35% new). Individual lots were evaluated and blended early—within three months of harvest—to integrate flavors and ensure balance. The blended wine aged in barrel for 10 months.