2016 Champlin Creek Pinot Noir
Varietal
Pinot Noir

Vintage
2016
Champlin Creek

Appellation
Carneros

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$65.00
 

This rocky, windswept vineyard is perfect for producing an exceptional, site-specific expression of cool-climate Pinot Noir. This is a visually gorgeous wine with a dark plum color that appears both bright red and deep purple at the same time. Aromas of black cherry and brown sugar make for an inviting entry. As it evolves in the glass, the flavors reveal layers of blueberry and raspberry underscored by rich, luxurious tannins.

  • Tasting Notes
    This beautiful Russian River Valley Pinot Noir has a vibrant fuchsia color. Enticing aromas of candied apple and red currant waft from the glass providing a lovely first impression. The palate is soft and supple, with concentrated cranberry flavors bursting forth. Firm, polished tannins add depth and nuance to a delicious lingering finish.
  • Wine Origin
    The grapes for this Pinot Noir came from an acclaimed vineyard owned by Bruce Cummings and his family. Located in the Santa Rosa Plains neighborhood of the Russian River Valley, Cummings Vineyard is farmed by renowned grower Charlie Chenoweth, whose meticulous approach ensures balanced vines and consistently stunning fruit.
  • Production Notes
    The 2016 vintage started out with an early bud break followed by a warm growing season. Just when we were about to start picking, we had a cool spell in late August. This helped slow things down and spread out the harvest. The small parcel of land that is the source for this wine is planted to three Dijon clones of Pinot Noir: 667, 777 and 115. This provides a field blend of clones that accentuates the complexity of the wine. Harvested by hand in the cool evening hours, the fruit came in the door of the winery pristine, ripe and luscious on September 13th, 2016.
  • Winemaker Notes
    The fruit was gently destemmed into small open-top fermenters, using state-of-the-art equipment and procedures to avoid any pumping of the must. Inoculation with select yeast strains followed a three-day cold soak, and the caps were managed with a combination of pump-overs and punch-downs. After 10 months of aging in exclusively French oak barrels, 11% of which were new, and 44% one-year-old, we bottled on July 31st, 2017.