Traditionally, Pinot Meunier (Peeno Moonyea) is used in the production of Champagne, but in Mendocino County we are able to produce an exquisite red wine with lively aromas and flavors of strawberry jam and cherry. The wine has a rich mouth-feel and a smooth finish. Try this wine with roasted salmon or chicken braised with red wine.
Background: This grape is a relative of the very mutative Pinot Noir and it gets its name from the fine white hairs on the underside of the grape leaf which from a distance resembles baking flour, thus “The Miller” (Meunier in French.) The Pinot Meunier grape is native to Burgundy and Champagne where it is used as a valuable blending component of many champagnes, where it adds fruitiness and softness to these wines. In Mendocino County, we are able to produce a very elegant still wine that has deep aromas and flavors.
Vineyards: This wine comes from three vineyards.62% Pinot Meunier from the vineyard owned by Roger Webb, which is located against the eastern foothills of Redwood Valley. These vines struggle in the shallow rocky red clay soils on this benchland site at 1,000 ft. in elevation. 31% Pinot Meunier from our Nube Bianco Vineyard located in the High elevation of Potter Valley witch has very cool nights and hot days. 7 % Pinotage from the Gearhart Vineyard which is located in Knights Valley, just south of the Ukiah Valley
Winemaking: These grapes were hand-harvested September 13th to October 9th at an average 24.8 degrees brix. After crushing into a small open-top stainless steel tank the grapes were cold-soaked for 3 days prior to yeast inoculation and fermentation. The must was punched-down twice daily for another eleven days to gently extract color, flavor and tannins. After a gentle pressing the wine was racked into small French oak burgundy barrels from the Vosges forest of which 20% were new. The wine was oak aged for 14 months then racked from barrels, egg white fined and bottled on March 10th 2020.
Winemaker’s Comments: This wine has deep floral aromas and flavors of cherry pie, raspberry and toasty oak. This well-balanced wine has soft acidity and an elegant mouth feel. It finishes long, smooth and fruity.
Blend: 93% Pinot Meunier 7% Pinotage
Cases Produced: 634
Alcohol: 15.3%
Total Acidity: 0.68
pH: 3.40
Residual Sugar: 0.6%
