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2019 Gregory James Bacigalupi Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley 750ml

Aromas of fresh strawberry and cheery pie leap from the glass, followed by touches of vanilla bean, tobacco, currant, cassis and overripe plum. On the palate, the tart cherry, pomegranate, plum and subtle notes of blackberry are balanced by earthy notes of cocoa, coffee, briar and dusty soil. The acidity is lively yet smooth leading to a very pleasant cherry cola finish with hints of earthiness.  

WINEMAKING NOTES

Once the handpicked grapes arrived to the winery in the early hours of the morning, the grapes were de-stemmed and prepared for fermentation in small open top tanks. Both native and inoculated yeasts were used to add flavor and texture to the finished wine. During fermentation the fruit was punched down twice per day plus one pump over. Malolactic fermentation was spontaneous and went to completion finishing in about 10 days. Once pressed and settled, the wine was racked to 100% French oak barrels (30% new) from the Loches, Alliers, and Vosges forests. During barrel aging the wine was monitored closely to ensure the right level of barrel character was extracted before blending and bottling took place in June of 2020.

VINEYARD NOTES

Helen and Charles Bacigalupi acquired the ranch in 1956 and slowly began to cultivate the existing vines and plant new acreage. Now in their fourth generation of farming they have some of the most sought-after fruit in the Russian River Valley. The Bacigalupi Vineyards are in the northernmost portion of the Russian River Valley, closes to the town of Healdsburg and the Dry Creek Valley. The cooler weather and combination of volcanic, alluvial and sedimentary soils create wines of balance and elegance.

During the 1976 Judgement Of Paris tasting, the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, containing fruit from Bacigalupi Vineyards was an undisputed winner. This event is credited with putting American wines on the map and showing the wine world that great wines were being made outside of Europe.