Pinot Noir 'Bondi Home Ranch'

The Bondi Home Ranch sits at the southernmost tip of the Russian River Valley in the Green Valley AVA in Sebastopol. The Bondi vineyard is planted with eastern exposure, which promotes even ripening with all day sun. The cool breeze from the sea rises in the late afternoon, skimming along the distant bank of fog, relieving the vines from the afternoon heat and enhancing slower ripening. The clones are 115, 777, 667, 828, 943 and Calera.

The grapes are picked between 25 and 26 degrees brix to ensure mature ripe fruit flavors. After picking, the whole berries undergo a long cool fermentation with wild yeast to generate skin contact and expose fruit character. The juice is transferred into oak barrels with a touch of residual sugar remaining to complete the fermentation process in barrel until dry. It rests in 80% new French oak on its gross lees for one year. Being a particular and moody varietal to tamper with, the grapes, juice, and then wine are minimally handled. The finished wine is un-fined, unfiltered, neither cold nor heat stabilized, clarified only by racking before bottling.

Case Production: 845

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