2015 The Cairn Catie's Corner Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes

The fruit for the 2015 The Cairn Pinot Noir comes entirely from Catie's Corner Vineyard. The must was fermented with 15% whole cluster providing a bit more mouthfeel and spiciness. 40% new French oak was used for barrel aging, with monthly stirring of the lees. The 2015 wine is a blend of two Wadenswil clones, 1A and 2A, of which the vines are about 20 years old. This wine shows classic Russian River Valley characteristics with the cherry cola notes enveloping a spicy red fruit dominated finish.

Harvest Notes

Bud break for 2015 arrived a few weeks earlier than usual, and the growing season stayed ahead of normal through the entire season. The Pinot Noir comes from Catie's Corner Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. A cooling trend in late May inhibited a full fruit set, so we saw about 60% the normal cluster weight this year. The rest of the summer was warm, with sunny weather and no rain. The fruit was harvested in the early morning of September 2nd, one week earlier than 2014.