Artesa Los Carneros Pinot Noir 2017
Fun Fact: “Artesa” is Catalan for “handcrafted.”
Grape Varietals & Region: 100% Pinot Noir. The fruit for this wine comes from nine blocks on Artesa's Estate Vineyard in Los Carneros, Napa Valley, California. The vines grow in a unique terroir with Haire clay loam soils and a high drainage capacity on some of the highest hillside blocks of the Artesa estate.
Taste Profile: Artesa Los Carneros Pinot Noir has bright and delicate aromas of raspberry, cherry and rose petals. The palate is medium-bodied, dry and fruit-forward with a vibrant acidity and superb balance. Lush strawberry, cherry, mulberry and plum flavours are accompanied by light vanilla spice and white pepper notes. Closes in a long finish.
Winemaking Process: Hand harvesting the grapes at night to preserve freshness and fruit integrity. Whole cluster fermentation with stems for 30% of the Estate Vineyard lots, the rest went through fermentation with whole berries (no crushing) after destemming. The berries go through a cold soak for 3 days with 70% in stainless steel tanks and 30% in puncheons. 100% native yeast fermentation with punching down three times a day. The free run wine enters French oak barrels (30%) for 10 months, where it ages on lees. Racking once before bottling.