2019 Burnside Vineyard Pinot Noir
This very cool vineyard site, bathed in ocean winds from Bodega Bay, has once again made a fascinating and complex wine in 2019. Aromas of dark chocolate, dried black cherry, clove, and licorice fold into aromas of mulled cider and floral Herbes de Provence. 2019 produced a rounder more textured version of Burnside Vineyard while maintaining the elegance, depth, and complexity of this world-class Pinot site.
2019 was an excellent year. The modestly wet winter led to an unusual spring with six inches of rain in late May. The extra water caused strong vine canopy growth necessitating extra leaf pulling to improve air flow and suppress disease. No significant problems persisted as the vines moved into a delightful summer, with warm days tempered by cool afternoon winds from the Pacific. Crop levels were average and weather at harvest was particularly pleasant, with the fruit ripening evenly, and critically, not too quickly. The 2019 wines have rich, supple structures with fine-grained, plush tannins supported by juicy, fresh fruit flavors and clearly defined vineyard characters. These precocious, delicious wines should require less cellar time to reach an ideal drinking stage.
Burnside Vineyard is located just south-west of Sebastopol, on the corner of Watertrough Road and Burnside Road, in an area referred to by locals as the Sebastopol Hills. In one of the coolest areas in Russian River this awesome site is farmed by George Martinelli to a level of quality seen in very few vineyards in California. Goldridge sandy loam soils mark Burnside Vineyard as a superb Pinot Noir site, with a hillside orientation bending to the east for early morning sun exposure. Drawn from two blocks, one of Clone 115 and one of Clone 777, Burnside is an extremely low-yielding site producing very small, intensely flavored berries and clusters.
100% Burgundian French oak barrels (46% New)
Bottled without filtration to preserve the wine’s aromas and flavors and enhance aging potential.
- Type:
- Red
- Varietal:
- Pinot Noir
- Region:
- California
- Appellation:
- Russian River Valley
- Vintage:
- 2019
- Blend:
- 100% Pinot Noir
- Alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Fermentation:
- Multi-yeast fermentations (native yeast, followed by cultured yeast); 100% malo-lactic fermentation in barrel