Long Meadow Ranch Pinot Noir Anderson Valley 2019

Long Meadow Ranch is a very old property (by American standards), originally a 19th-century land-grant property for Civil War veteran E.J. Church. Many of its vast hectares were planted to vines at this time, though Prohibition inevitably led to their dereliction. The site was revitalised by the Hall family following their 1989 purchase of the land. Since its outset, Long Meadow has embraced and pioneered organic and sustainable agriculture. It is designed in the model of a Tuscan Estate, the vineyards surrounded by olive groves, vegetables, apples, hay, cattle, horses, chickens, and pasture. In addition to their hugely successful wine operation, Long Meadow Ranch also run a renowned restaurant – Farmstead - in St. Helena, where they are currently developing a luxury hotel.

The newest addition to the portfolio is the 28ha Anderson Valley Estate, located two-and-a-half hours northwest of Napa and planted to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris. Here, ripening is prolonged by the cooling Pacific fogs that rush in nightly from the ocean, a mere 8km from the vineyard.

VINEYARD: Anderson Valley
VARIETAL: 100% Pinot Noir
ALCOHOL: 13%
MATURATION: 11 months in 25% new French oak, 75% neutral French oak
CASE PRODUCTION: 3329 + 60 magnums
FOOD AFFINITIES: Duck breast and cherry mostarda, grilled salmon
WINEMAKER TASTING NOTES:
Bright and deep ruby in color, this wine opens up with a powerful nose full of
red fruit accented with violet. Medium to full-bodied, it shows complex notes
of spices, wild berries, orange rind, and plums. With structured tannins and a
tangy acidity creating a long, mouthwatering finish, it’s reminiscent of some
Vosne Romanee Premier Crus. Will age for over a decade and also deliver
right off the bat. – Stéphane Vivier
GROWING SEASON:
2019 was a very wet winter with rain coming into spring. Keeping the vines
in balance was especially important this year. Successful management of
the vines along with wonderfully mild weather through summer gave us
warm days and cool nights. This is a recipe for success in vineyards, the
vintage gave us a great balance of sugar and acid with complete phenolic
ripening. We had ripe flavors with freshness along with nice acid balance.