2004 Pinot Noir
Ruby in color with aromas of tilled earth, sour cherries, cranberry and pomegranate. A hint of gaminess along with nuances of spicy oak, especially clove, also come through on the nose. Medium in body, the attack is of dark plum, with cherry fruit, tight tannins and pencil-lead complexity emerging on the middle palate. The wine closes dry and moderately tannic with a long, fruity finish of cranberry and cherry. This is a highly aromatic, mid-weight Pinot which, while full of varietal fruit character, retains the elusive earth tones and gamy complexity which makes the grape so special.
ORIGINS: 45% Cave Spring Vineyard; 5% other Beamsville Bench; 40% Twenty Mile Bench; 10% Creek Shores.
COMPOSTITON: 90% Pinot Noir; 10% Gamay.
SOILS: Mainly clay till over shale, sandstone and limestone; some clay loam over red shale. YIELD: 2.25 tonnes/acre (39 hl/ha).
VINIFICATION: 14 day maceration followed by gentle pressing and barrel ageing for 1 year in older French, American and Hungarian oak.
STYLE: Mid-weight Pinot with delicate cherry fruit, nuances of earth and spice, light tannins and a round, supple mouth feel.
AGEABILITY: Quite harmonious and drinkable in its youth, it will develop classic ‘barnyard’ notes with 3 to 5 years of bottle age.
FOOD MATCHES: Roast of chicken, turkey or pork; spicy sausages; tomato based pasta dishes; mushroom risotto.
BOTTLING DATA: Alc./Vol.- 12.0 %, R.S.- 3.0 g/L, T.A.- 6.4 g/L, pH- 3.55