2021 Pinot Noir Three Sisters Vineyard
Appellation
Fort Ross - Seaview
The Three Sisters Vineyard consists of two small vineyard sites: the Meadow, and the Lambing Barn Ridge, as this land was originally homesteaded in the 1860’s for raising sheep by Carolyn Martinelli’s ancestors. These pasture lands were planted with grapevines in the 1990’s. This grape studded view lies upon the second ridge inland from the coastline at Fort Ross. Here above the fog line the skies are clear and pristine, yet in the winter the rain falls harder and denser than anywhere else in Sonoma County. Both sites are planted with clones 115, 777, 667 and Pommard and the soil is a mix of Josephine and Gold Ridge soil.
Wine Specs
Vintage
2021
Varietal
Pinot Noir
Appellation
Fort Ross - Seaview
Vineyard Designation
Three Sisters Vineyard
Alcohol %
14.9
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
Fresh strawberry, cola nut, and allspice aromas are found in the lively nose. Flavors of Santa Rosa plum and Amarena cherry flow across your palate, and the finish is long lasting with accents of barrel spice.
Vineyard Notes
The Three Sisters Vineyard consists of two small vineyard sites: the Meadow, and
the Lambing Barn Ridge, as this land was originally homesteaded in the 1860s for
raising sheep by Carolyn Martinelli’s ancestors. These pasture lands were planted
with grapevines in the 1990s. This grape studded view lies upon the second ridge
inland from the coastline at Fort Ross. Here above the fog line the skies are clear
and pristine, yet in the winter the rain falls harder and denser than anywhere else
in Sonoma County. Both sites are planted with clones 95, 96, and 76 and the soil
is a mix of Josephine and Gold Ridge soil
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.
