2008 Estate Pinot Noir

The man who laid the foundation for Alexander Valley Vineyards is also the man most responsible for having a Pinot Noir in our portfolio. Harry Wetzel always had a soft spot for the varietal long before Pinot was so popular. Because the grape is so fickle, we had to find the perfect spot on our estate to plant the varietal. A vineyard along the banks of the Russian River proved ideal.

To craft the 2008, we picked early (harvest began on August 25) and used some new techniques such as cryoextraction. The fruit was placed in small bins and dry ice was added. The contact of the ice with the fruit fractured the skins, allowing for deeper color and flavor development.

This 2008 Estate Pinot Noir is a silky wine exhibiting aromas of strawberry, cherry and vanilla and flavors of cherry, cola and strawberry.