Talisman Weir Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013 (750 ml)

Vineyards and Winemaking
Planted in 1992, the Weir Vineyard is our most far-flung vineyard. Located in the Yorkville Highlands between Cloverdale and
Mendocino, the vineyard’s elevation (850’-1000’) and aspect place it squarely in the path of cold air flowing in from the Mendocino
coast, a mere 17 miles away. The 15 acre vineyard incorporates several soil types, including gravels, highly fractured rock and old
sandstone. The topsoil is thin, limiting vine growth and vigor, while promoting concentration in the resulting wines.
When you’re a wine grape farmer, unremarkable weather can be a very good thing, and the 2013 growing season was pretty close to
ideal. Wonderfully dry conditions and moderate temperatures throughout the season allowed us to pick when the flavors were just right.
As usual, most of the hard work of chasing perfection occurred in the vineyard, so our efforts in the winery were minimal. We
picked the Pommard clone September 13th and fermented it 100% whole cluster in a one ton bin. The rest of the blocks were picked
September 20th then hand sorted, retaining 25% as whole clusters. The separate lots underwent feral yeast fermentations, enjoying
lots of manual punchdowns, and an extended maceration. We used barrels from all five of our favorite coopers to help create complexity:
Marcel Cadet, Remond, François Frères, Dargaud et Jaegle, and Rousseau.
Tasting Notes
Amazingly elegant and graceful; this stunning showing of the wonderful Weir vineyard displays its usual complex bouquet of raspberry,
rose, mineral, orange zest and sandalwood. The texture is seductive, soft and velvety with dreamy flavors of perfumey red
currant, strawberry and a faint whisper of licorice… with a very long, lingering persistent finish.