Longboard Vineyards Pinot Noir

Few areas in the world are blessed with just the right balance of warm days and cool nights that are to produce great pinot noir. The russian river valley appeallations is one of those areas and we take full advantage of it. To begin with we choose to work woth growers who know his varietal and we collaborate with them to grow and pick the fruit when flavors are well developed but before any overly pruney or raisiny characters show up. One picked we process the grapes minimally; grapes are harvested either at night or at first light and delivered cool to the winery where they are de-stemmed (not crushed) and allowed to cold soak for three days before fermentation is initiated. Lots are either inoculated or allowed to ferment on their own depending on how clean the harcest is. Once the alcoholic fermentation is complete wines are drawn into french oak barrels (about 30% new) where they complete the mololactic fermentation and age on the fine lees until late spring. We aim to mak