2021 Pinot Noir Moonshine Ranch 750ml
Appellation
Russian River
Enticing aromas of blackberry, vanilla, and blood orange are found in the nose. Voluminous upon entry, the mouth has rich flavors of blackberry and chicory. Black cherry is present in the long, weighty finish.
Wine Specs
Vintage
2021
Varietal
Pinot Noir
Appellation
Russian River
Vineyard Designation
Moonshine Ranch
Alcohol %
15.6
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
Enticing aromas of blackberry, vanilla, and blood orange are found in the nose. Voluminous upon entry, the mouth has rich flavors of blackberry and chicory. Black cherry is present in the long, weighty finish.
Vineyard Notes
This petite vineyard was planted in 1995 and 1996 at 2,500 vines per acre and is situated on rocky fertile ground with lots of exposed cobblestones. The rows are north/south oriented, which allows for indirect sunlight to have its effect on the even ripening clusters. Three Dijon clones were grafted onto rootstock to match climate behavior and the unique properties of each specific soil series. Moonshine Ranch is named for the century-old draughty barn on the property. The high raftered building stands as a relic for times of old, as its heyday was during the prohibition era, serving as a small factory for prune brandy.
Production Notes
2021 was the driest year on record since they started keeping records 127 years ago. It was also the third year of drought conditions for Sonoma County. Contrary to these conditions, the summer was relatively cool and started two weeks later than the previous year. The drought conditions did bring ripeness to each of our varieties at just about the same time. By the end of the first week, we had 40% of the total tonnage in the winery. This included Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel from both Fort Ross-Seaview and Russian River Valley. Despite being a very compact harvest, small clusters and berry size have yielded exceptional quality which makes 2021 a standout vintage.