Sea Smoke Ten Pinot Noir
| Vintage: | 2021 |
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| Description: | Winemaker Notes\r\nTen is named for the ten Pinot Noir clones found on our estate vineyard.\u00a0Our most masculine wine, it is brooding and intense, with firm, mature tannins and a long, velvety finish.\u00a0Ten is not for the faint-of-heart and has been known, on occasion, to convert even the most fanatic Cabernet lover.\r\nWinemaking: Hand-harvested, clusters were sorted in the vineyard and then gently destemmed following an evening in our cold room. All \u2018jack stems\u2019 were removed on the sorting table. Musts were cold soaked in open-top fermenters for five days, and then inoculated with cultured yeasts to begin slow fermentation. Each tank was manually punched down two times per day, with a total maceration time of sixteen to twenty-eight days. Upon completion of primary fermentation and maceration, all free run wine was transferred to tank for settling, and then pressed at extremely low pressure (0.08 bars) to avoid extracting bitterness. After settling overnight both free-run and press\r\nwines were racked to barrels. Ten was bottled with no fining and no filtration.\r\nCharacter: A brooding and intense wine. The aromas begin with notes of Elderberry, Freesia and Fig, then a myriad of savory spices, and a hint of lavender. Firm, mature tannins\u2014evidence of Ten\u2019s ageability\u2014are followed by a long, velvety finish.\r\nAbout Sea Smoke Estate Vineyards\r\nOur estate vineyard is located in the northern hemisphere\u2019s southernmost \u2013 and sunniest \u2013\u00a0Region 1\u00a0microclimate, which has the coolest temperatures for grape growing. The Pacific Ocean fog (\u2018sea smoke\u2019) funnels across our hillsides each afternoon, creating ideal growing conditions for Pinot Noir.\r\nOur Pinot Noir vines are planted on south-facing hillside bluffs, in \u2018transition zones\u2019 characterized by rich clay soils, aiding us in our quest for quality. This is where Pinot Noir finds its most sublime expression.\r\nWe farm our estate vineyard both organically and biodynamically, because nurturing the soil and vines \u2013 without toxic chemicals and in harmony with nature \u2013 is the right thing to do for the land, for our employees and for our customers.\r\nSea Smoke\u2019s unique combination of sun, fog, soil and meticulous farming results in wines that are lush, elegant and expressive.\r\nWhile our small team would love to take credit, if there\u2019s a star in the Sea Smoke story, it\u2019s\r\nnot a person, but the rare and magical property that for years local vintners coveted for its\r\npotential to grow great Pinot Noir. In 1999, this land in the heart of Santa Barbara\u2019s Santa\r\nRita Hills Ava became Sea Smoke Vineyard. Located on south-facing hillside bluffs, our\r\nSea Smoke Estate receives plenty of sunshine \u2013 but then, so does most of California. What\r\nmakes our vineyard truly special is its shallow clay soils, south facing slopes, and the layer\r\nof marine fog (sea \u201csmoke\u201d) that travels up the Santa Ynez River canyon each evening,\r\ncooling our vines. This cooling influence makes extended \u2018hangtime\u2019 possible prior to\r\nharvest \u2013 allowing flavors and tannins to fully mature, while still maintaining lovely acidity.\r\nThis results in wines that are lush, elegant and expressive.\r\nBecause we are an estate winery and the California equivalent of a \u2018Monopole\u2019, we do not\r\nbuy or sell grapes. Our obsession with Pinot Noir has its roots \u2013 literally and figuratively \u2013\r\nin our estate vineyard, and our obsession is apparent in the way we farm. We strive for low\r\ncrop yields and small grape clusters, so our vineyard is planted with ten top-quality Pinot\r\nNoir clones on vigor-reducing rootstocks. Every one of our vines receives individual care\r\nand handling from our vineyard crew at least eight times a year \u2013 every single vine. Since\r\nour estate vineyard will hopefully outlast us all, we decided to be good stewards of the land:\r\nwe have been farming sustainably for over a decade, and in 2013 we went beyond organic\r\nand began farming our entire vineyard biodynamically.\r\nBecause lab tests never tell the whole story, we ultimately rely on our taste buds to decide\r\nwhen to begin harvesting individual blocks. The east and west sides of each block are\r\nusually picked at different times, for example, and after hand harvesting, grapes are chilled\r\novernight, pre-sorted, de-stemmed and then carefully table sorted. Meanwhile, we evaluate\r\nthe clonal characteristics and tannin profile of each and every harvested block, tailoring\r\nour corresponding fermentations accordingly. We keep each block and clone combination\r\nseparate throughout fermentation and aging. This helps us develop a deep understanding\r\nof the characteristics of each vineyard block, observing how each responds to specific barrel\r\nprofiles in our cellar, and ultimately gives us an array of flavors and characteristics to draw\r\nupon during blending. |
| Price: | $ 109.99 |
| Price in original currency: | None |
Available from BASSER’S Fine Wine
| Address: |
6240 Coral Ridge Drive Coral Springs, FL 33076 United States |
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| Telephone (regular): | 954-840-3122 |
First added to 1000 Corks on December 31, 2023.
