2008 "THE WEDGE" TALLEY VINEYARDS
Pinot Noir / Arroyo Grande Valley

This wine hails from a triangular block at Talley Vineyards. We call this block “The Wedge,” and it belongs to the Talley family’s long tradition of world-class Pinot Noir.

The Wedge is distinguished by its infertile limestone soil and ideal southwestern exposure, which combine to yield fruit of uncommon complexity and concentration.

WINEMAKING DETAILS

Harvested on September 2 at 25.5 Brix
Clone 2A/5C                    
TA 6.4 gm/L  
pH 3.44
Bottled August 2010                       
98 cases produced

Twenty-five percent of the fruit was placed into the fermenters as whole clusters and the balance was destemmed. After a three-day cold soak the must was inoculated with Aussmanshausen yeast.  I like this yeast as it has a slow build-up phase before it really starts fermenting, thus allowing more time on the skins during the initial phase. The must was basket pressed after 16 days on the skins. Malolactic fermentation finished in late November. The wine was aged in 100 percent French oak, of which 50 percent was new oak (Francois Freres Vosges M+ and Francois Freres Allier M+). The wine was racked twice prior to bottling.

TASTING NOTES

This wine is garnet color. It is a bit riper and richer in flavor than the other wines from the 2008 vintage. It has a nice, darker red fruit aroma, dark cherries, with a nice touch of tobacco, earth and spice. The wine was fermented with about 25 percent whole clusters, and this really shows on the palate in both flavor and texture. There is a pretty richness indicative of the clone and the vineyard site. This wine is built to last for many years, 8-10 in my estimation.

In general, the 2008 vintage provided wines that are elegant and a bit more restrained than previous vintages. It reminds me somewhat of the 2006 vintage, a slightly cooler year which produced slightly edgier wines. The chemistry of the fruit yielded wines that can age gracefully and have beautiful balance.