2001 Los Carneros Pinot Noir

36 barrels bottled in 750ml

The growing season was once again kind to Pinot Noir in Carneros. In many ways the weather was similar to ’93 and ’97 both excellent Pinot years. A warm and dry spring, like we had in ‘01 almost always bodes well for Pinot. If there was anything to complain about, it was that the summer weather was too mild. Uniformly balmy conditions allowed berry and cluster size to grow beyond the ideal. There really is such a thing as too nice a climate. Weather during the final month of ripening was on the cool side which produces fresh fruit flavors instead of the cooked fruit flavors of warmer seasons like 1990 or 1984.

The principal vineyard source was Stanley Ranch Vineyards, a thirty year old planting on the southeast edge of the appellation. This was supplemented by fruit from a Domaine Chandon vineyard just south of Carneros Highway close to the Sonoma County line. I was able to purchase the fruit from Chandon’s clonal trials. The twenty clones in this vineyard block created great complexity when mixed in the fermenters. The fruit was allowed to come to a high degree of ripeness. Flavors developed in tandem with sugar this year.

Winemaking was carried out using traditional techniques. The fruit was fermented in open top tanks. This allows the gentle punch down method to be used. Twenty percent of the fruit was put in the tanks as whole clusters. The stem tannins can then contribute spice flavors. This vintage had only moderate color and tannin in the grapes so it was critical to extract the maximum. Longer and warmer maceration of the fruit was indicated and utilized. Press wine was kept separate because the free run wine had both better color and grip. The wine was aged for a year before bottling in French oak barrels, one third of which were new. Twenty percent of the wine was declassified in order to improve quality. As an old winemaker once wisely said, “The greatest danger in making fine wine is making too much of it.”

While the growing and crafting of Pinot Noir may be considered difficult, the enjoyment of it at the table is simplicity itself. Really, no more is needed than the most basic food to show off Pinots charms. Some of my fondest memories of great Pinot involved no culinary endeavor beyond buttering bread. Pinot is a real diplomat at the table making almost any food taste better. It has a natural affinity for salty foods like ham. It matches smoky, spicy, earthy and gamey foods very well. When you don’t have a clue which wine will work with any given food – your instincts should lead you to Pinot. It will work.