Chono Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013

The Stone Corral Vineyard is planted on a southeast slope on the west side of the Edna Valley which has an east/west orientation opening up to the Pacific Ocean from Morro Bay and Pismo Beach. Approximately 120 to 300 feet above sea level, the climate is strongly influenced by the ocean providing ideal temperate growing conditions for Pinot Noir. Early spring warming, mild summer temperatures and late arriving cold fall temperatures and rain provide a long growing season for the development of rich color, concentrated and complex flavors. Soil profiles vary between blocks from sand, sandy loam, loamy sand, pebbly sandy clay loam, all fine angular blocky , including decomposing sandstone layers and numerous fossil rocks. The soils are well drained and marine in origin, resulting in an elegant Pinot Noir with extraordinary attributes.

This gem is a blend of a few precious, select barrels hailing from the finest blocks of Stone Corral Vineyard. Offers blue-toned fruit on the nose and a pretty bouquet of black raspberry, sandstone, marzipan and wild lupine flowers. Opulent, yet delicate on the palate, with velvety layers of cola nut, cherry, dried herbs and pecan sandie cookies.

Wine analysis – 13.7% Alcohol, .69 TA, 3.5pH

- A barrel select Stone Corral Vineyard bottling, utilizing the finest blocks and clones of the 2013 vintage
- Blend of clones 115, 777 and 667 on 101-14 and 3309 rootstalks
- Hand harvested, cold fruit from night picks during the month of September 2013
- Yield about 2 tons per acre between 23.8 and 24.5 ° Brix
- Destemmed with nearly 100 % whole berries remaining
- Fermented in small open top tanks
- 4 day cold soak, average 14 day fermentation, peak temperature 83°
- Hand punched down several times daily as needed
- Pressed off just dry, tank settled then racked to barrels
- Aged in small French oak barrels for 18 months
- Once the fresh wine is transferred from the press pan, all moving of the wine is done with inert gas pressure.
When handling the wine, care is taken at all opportunities to avoid shear.

"This bottling comes from the best blocks and barrels from this single vineyard, co-owned by a number of Edna Valley luminaries. The result is stunning, with baked raspberry, strawberry, maple, and peppery bacon aromas comprising a spicy, exotic nose. Black plum fruit melds with white pepper and crushed herbs, diving into tangy strawberry and sandalwood incense notes on the finish. - Matt Kettmann"
- Wine Enthusiast Magazine (April 1st 2017), 95 pts

SALE!

Deep ruby color; dense, deep, herbal berry aromas; deep, ripe, forward berry flavors with moderate oak and tannin; good structure and balance; long finish. Dense and deep Pinot.

Russell Family Vineyard in located in the Templeton Gap area of Paso Robles. It's a relatively warm site for Pinot Noir, but the amazing amount of limestone in the soil allows the vines to retain great acidity.

All traditional Pinot pairings as well as steak and lamb

Review:

Deep ruby color; dense, deep, herbal berry aromas; deep, ripe, forward berry flavors with moderate oak and tannin; good structure and balance; long finish. Dense and deep Pinot that needs a good two hours of air to open up.

Pinot Report 93 Points

"Red cherries laced with crushed allspice and cloves also benefit from dried violets, graphite and loamy soil on the nose of this rare Pinot from Paso. The palate is not quite so boisterous but quite good still, with a bit of concentrated plum juice, Bing cherries, raspberry and a tinge of sagebrush throughout. - Matt Kettmann"

- Wine Enthusiast (August 1st 2015), 93 pts

Ferren Pinot Noir Silver Eagle Vineyard is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.

Winemaker Matt Courtney learned what he knows of Pinot Noir on the Sonoma Coast during his eight-year apprenticeship with Helen Turley of Marcassin Vineyards. At Ferren he employs artisan methods crafting his wines in small lots from single-vineyard sources with native fermentation and without fining or filtration. | Falling Bright

Silver Eagle Vineyard rests atop Stoetz Ridge, the land mass that divides the remote Sonoma Coast from the Russian River Valley. This vineyard experiences both the cooling ocean breezes of the nearby Pacific, as well as the warmth of the interior valley. The wine made from this unique confluence of climates is extraordinary: the Pinot Noir a rare balance of explosive wild berry, mouthwatering acidity, and rich, polished tannins; the Chardonnay a fascinating juxtaposition of briny minerality and candied citrus. [ The late Ulises Valdez - brilliant vineyard manager and owner of this vineyard - built his family home on this spectacular site.] | Ferren

Review:

All destemmed and aged 18 months in one-third new French oak, the 2017 Pinot Noir Silver Eagle Vineyard has a fresher, more edgy texture to go with a medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated style on the palate. It's more backward and tight, especially when compared to the Sonoma Coast release, yet still has beautiful notes of black raspberries, wild strawberries, violets, sappy herbs, and a touch of forest floor. Give it a year, and it's going to have a decade of prime drinking. 

-Jeb Dunnuck 95+ Points

"Refined and elegant, with a lithe, creamy texture to the dried red fruit and berry flavors, lengthening out with forest forest floor notes. The fine-grained, minerally finish shows leafy accents and hints of sandalwood. Drink now through 2025.—K.M.”

- Wine Spectator Insider (March 18th 2020), 94 pts

Ferren Pinot Noir Silver Eagle Vineyard is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.

Winemaker Matt Courtney learned what he knows of Pinot Noir on the Sonoma Coast during his eight-year apprenticeship with Helen Turley of Marcassin Vineyards. At Ferren he employs artisan methods crafting his wines in small lots from single-vineyard sources with native fermentation and without fining or filtration. | Falling Bright

Silver Eagle Vineyard rests atop Stoetz Ridge, the land mass that divides the remote Sonoma Coast from the Russian River Valley. This vineyard experiences both the cooling ocean breezes of the nearby Pacific, as well as the warmth of the interior valley. The wine made from this unique confluence of climates is extraordinary: the Pinot Noir a rare balance of explosive wild berry, mouthwatering acidity, and rich, polished tannins; the Chardonnay a fascinating juxtaposition of briny minerality and candied citrus. [ The late Ulises Valdez - brilliant vineyard manager and owner of this vineyard - built his family home on this spectacular site.] | Ferren

 Offering up a touch more freshness and detail, the 2011 Pinot Noir Rosella’s Vineyard is also upfront and textured, with ripe black cherry, rose garden and spring flower-like nuances all flowing to a medium-bodied, elegant and textured palate. There’s not a huge amount of back-end depth but it’s gorgeous nonetheless and I love the overall focus. It should shine for 4-5 years. Drink now-2018. This was an impressive (and large) lineup of wines. Made by the brother/sister pair, Brian and Kimberly Loring, with Rachel Silkowski functioning as assistant winemaker, these efforts never lack for fruit or texture and, for the most part, reward immediate gratification. Having said that, I think these 2011s will offer a relatively broad drink window. The 2012s are more rich and voluptuous, with the purity of fruit and seamlessness of the vintage.  (8/ 2013) Wine Advocate 92 Points

Pike Road Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

Tasting Notes

Rich and complex, black cherry, confectionary strawberry and dusty rose waft up from the glass. An expressive palate follows with juicy black cherry and pomegranate alongside notes of tropical mango and coconut in a slightly gamey, smoky finish.

About Shea Vineyard

Shea Vineyard sits in the heart of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA and is farmed by our friends Dick & Deirdre Shea. This is arguably the most famous vineyard for Oregon Pinot Noir because of the many well-known wineries that make a Single Vineyard Shea wine, including our sister brand Elk Cove Vineyards and neighbors Ken Wright, Bergstrom, Penner-Ash and others. It's worth checking out the Shea Vineyard website to learn more about this unique vineyard. Wines from Shea vineyard are earthy with a black cherry kick

The 2017 Vintage

2017 brought us back to what we consider a classic, cool-climate Oregon vintage, a year when our decades of experience paid off. Wet spring weather led to a more typical growing season compared with the past three vintages, all unusually hot. The summer of 2017 was warm and dry, leading to excellent flavor development in the fruit, but we thinned the crop considerably to ensure concentration and ripeness. Harvest was staggered because of the October rains, which meant long days for our crew during the windows of sun. 2017 wasn’t an easy year to farm, but the fresh, fully developed flavors of the vintage make it worth the hard work.

Review:

"This wine is loaded with raspberries, blackberries, cherries and preserved lemons, dotted with baking spice and finished with a touch of chocolate-covered orange peel. It may sound like dessert, but it's a thoroughly delicious dry-red wine that will add to the enjoyment of any pork, lamb or poultry entrée." - Editor, Paul Gregutt -

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points